Using oncolytic viruses to enhance CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors
Official title: Re-purposing Oncolytic Virotherapy to Re-invigorate CAR T Cell Therapy for Solid Tumors.
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-10992143 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how using special viruses with CAR T cell therapy might help make the treatment work better for people with solid tumors by helping the CAR T cells find and attack the cancer more effectively.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $363,713 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA269384-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10992143 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with solid tumors who have not responded well to conventional therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with hematological malignancies or those who are not eligible for CAR T cell therapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how oncolytic viruses can be used to improve the effectiveness of CAR T cell therapy in treating solid tumors. The approach involves loading these viruses onto CAR T cells before they are administered to patients, which may help the CAR T cells to better target and attack tumor cells. By creating a more inflammatory tumor microenvironment, the therapy aims to enhance the recruitment and functionality of CAR T cells within the tumor. The research is based on promising preclinical results showing improved tumor responses in animal models.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for patients with solid tumors, potentially improving survival rates and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown that combining oncolytic virotherapy with immunotherapies can enhance anti-tumor responses, suggesting a promising avenue for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vile, Richard G. — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Vile, Richard G.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Remote-controlled PC-CAR T cells for hard-to-treat solid tumors
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Image-guided, flexible CAR T therapy for solid tumors
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Using tumor-targeting viruses to boost CAR T cell treatment for solid tumors
This work aims to help CAR T cell therapy work better for people with solid tumors by combining CAR T cells with cancer-killing viruses that ramp up the immune response.
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Improving CAR T cell therapy for lung and other solid tumors
This project works to make CAR T cell therapy more effective for people with lung and other solid tumors by building realistic tumor models and testing ways to overcome the tumors' immune defenses.
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Improving CAR T cell therapy for children with solid tumors
This study is testing a new way to make CAR T cell therapy work better for kids with solid tumors by using special T cells that target a protein called B7-H3, and it aims to see how safe and effective these modified cells are in helping children whose tumors haven't responded to other treatments.
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Improving CAR T cell therapy for lung cancer
This study is looking at ways to make CAR T cell therapy work better for lung cancer by creating a model that simulates the tumor environment, helping researchers figure out why it struggles with solid tumors and how to improve treatment for patients.
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.