Using gene therapy to reduce pain in oral cancer patients
Official title: Intratumor co-delivery of DNA and RNA to relieve cancer pain
Funded at New York University · NIH-11000269 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new gene therapy to help relieve severe pain for people with oral cancer by using special methods to deliver genes that can change how pain signals work in the body, aiming to make pain management easier and with fewer side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | January 8, 2021 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $583,847 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DE029694-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11000269 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with oral cancer who are experiencing chronic pain that is not adequately managed by current treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with oral cancer who do not experience significant pain or those who are not eligible for gene therapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop a novel gene therapy approach to alleviate severe pain experienced by patients with oral cancer. By using non-viral vectors to deliver specific genes that target pain pathways in the cancer microenvironment, the study seeks to disrupt nociceptive signaling effectively. The approach involves re-expressing the μ-opioid receptor gene and downregulating the protease-activated receptor-2 gene to potentially eliminate pain. This innovative strategy is designed to minimize side effects and improve pain management for patients suffering from chronic pain due to oral cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide a new, effective treatment option for managing severe pain in oral cancer patients without the drawbacks of traditional opioid therapies.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of using gene therapy for pain management is innovative, similar strategies targeting pain pathways have shown promise in preliminary studies, suggesting potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schmidt, Brian L — New York University
- Study coordinator: Schmidt, Brian L
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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.