Using peptide-doxorubicin combinations to reduce heart damage and drug resistance in cancer treatment
Official title: Peptide-Doxorubicin Conjugates for Mitigating Cardiotoxicity and Overcoming Drug Resistance in Cancer
Funded at Chapman University · NIH-11124350 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new way to deliver a chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin directly to cancer cells while protecting the heart, so patients can get better treatment with fewer side effects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Chapman University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orange, United States) |
| Project start | June 19, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $415,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R15CA301437-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11124350 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with cancers such as breast, lung, ovarian, gastric, or thyroid who are facing challenges with current doxorubicin treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have cancer or those whose cancer is not responsive to doxorubicin may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving the delivery of doxorubicin, a common chemotherapy drug, to cancer cells while minimizing its harmful effects on the heart. The approach involves creating special peptide-doxorubicin conjugates that can target cancer cells more effectively and reduce the risk of cardiotoxicity. By testing different peptide combinations, the researchers aim to find the most effective way to deliver the drug to overcome resistance in cancer cells. Patients may benefit from a more effective treatment with fewer side effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective cancer treatments that reduce heart damage while overcoming drug resistance.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of peptide-drug conjugates is a promising area of research, this specific approach to mitigate cardiotoxicity and drug resistance is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Chapman University
Orange, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parang, Keykavous — Chapman University
- Study coordinator: Parang, Keykavous
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Atrial patients receiving the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin may be protected from heart damage by targeting two heart cell receptors at once.
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Precision imaging of heart damage from cancer treatment using metabolic MRI biomarkers
Researchers will use advanced MRI to find early metabolic signs of heart injury in cancer patients treated with common drugs, so doctors can protect the heart earlier.
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PET imaging to detect heart damage from chemotherapy
This research tests a new PET imaging tracer to detect early heart muscle damage in people who have received cancer chemotherapy.
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.