Using immunotherapy to treat bladder cancer in dogs
Official title: Intravesical Immunotherapy of Spontaneous Canine Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma
Funded at North Carolina State University Raleigh · NIH-10920439 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new treatment for dogs with invasive bladder cancer that involves giving a special medicine directly into their bladder, and it's designed to see how safe and effective it is for helping our furry friends feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | North Carolina State University Raleigh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Raleigh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $507,574 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA272258-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10920439 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pet dogs diagnosed with spontaneous invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.
✕Less likely to help
Dogs with other types of cancers or those not diagnosed with bladder cancer may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the use of intravesical immunotherapy with a specific formulation of interleukin-12 in dogs diagnosed with invasive bladder cancer. The approach involves administering the treatment directly into the bladder, which has shown promise in preclinical studies by eliminating tumors and potentially inducing responses in untreated areas. The study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this therapy in pet dogs, leveraging the similarities between canine and human bladder cancers to enhance clinical translation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a new, less invasive treatment option for bladder cancer in dogs, improving their quality of life and survival rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown success with similar immunotherapy approaches in animal models, suggesting potential for effective translation to canine patients.
Where this research is happening
-
North Carolina State University Raleigh
Raleigh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zaharoff, David — North Carolina State University Raleigh
- Study coordinator: Zaharoff, David
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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IL-12 bladder immune therapy for dogs with invasive bladder cancer
This project gives a sticky IL-12 immune medicine directly into the bladder of pet dogs with invasive bladder cancer to shrink tumors and stimulate immune responses.
-
Testing new immunotherapy for bladder cancer that comes back after treatment
This study is looking at a new way to help people with bladder cancer that has come back after regular treatment, by combining immunotherapy with BCG and radiation to see if it works better, while also checking how safe it is and using genetic information to help decide on the best treatment for each patient.
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Understanding bladder cancer biology to find new biomarkers and therapies
A study at Tuskegee University will look at the molecules inside high-grade bladder cancer to discover new markers and potential treatment targets.
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Hypoxia and metabolism as targets to improve immunotherapy in head and neck cancer
This grant tests new combinations of metabolic drugs with immunotherapy to help people with head and neck cancer respond better to treatment.
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Determinants of immunotherapy response in NASH-related liver cancer
Aims to understand why some patients with NASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma respond differently to immunotherapy and to identify biomarkers that predict who benefits.
-
Improved 3D guidance for kidney-sparing endoscopic UTUC treatment
A Vanderbilt team is testing a new 3D-guided approach to precisely locate and treat upper tract urothelial cancer during kidney-sparing endoscopic procedures.
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.