Understanding how two immune therapies work together for melanoma
Project 1: Evaluating the synergy of LAG3 and PD-1 in melanoma patients
This research explores how two different immune therapies, LAG3 and PD-1 blockers, might work better together for people with melanoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11187082 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Melanoma is a serious skin cancer, and while immune therapies have helped many, some patients still don't respond well. This work aims to understand how two specific immune system checkpoints, PD1 and LAG3, influence the body's fight against melanoma. Researchers are looking at how blocking these checkpoints, alone or in combination, affects immune cells in both the tumor and the blood. The goal is to find out why some patients respond to treatment and others don't, especially when using a combination of these therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this type of research would be melanoma patients, particularly those who have not responded to previous immunotherapies.
Not a fit: Patients without melanoma or those who have already achieved full remission from their cancer may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective immunotherapy strategies for melanoma patients who currently do not respond to existing treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies in mouse models have shown promising synergistic effects with combined PD1/LAG3 immunotherapy, and clinical trials are already exploring this dual blockade.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vignali, Dario Aa — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Vignali, Dario Aa
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.