Viral therapy plus engineered natural killer cells for glioma
Project 1: Combine Viro-Immunotherapy and Natural Killer Cells for the Treatment of Gliomas
A tumor-targeting virus combined with lab-modified natural killer (NK) immune cells to help people with glioblastoma fight their cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193441 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, doctors would use an engineered virus (Delta-24-RGD) that infects and helps kill tumor cells and also awakens the immune system. They would give specially modified NK cells that are designed to resist the tumor's and steroid-driven signals that normally turn immune cells off. Early lab and mouse work showed the virus boosts NK cell activity and that the combination extended survival in animal models. The team is already running a dose‑finding clinical trial of the engineered NK cells and plans to combine the virus and NK cells in patients to strengthen the anti-tumor immune response.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with recurrent glioblastoma who meet the trial's eligibility criteria and can receive experimental cell and viral therapies at the treating center are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People with non-glioma brain tumors, severe immune problems, or those who cannot meet safety or travel requirements for the trial are unlikely to benefit from this specific protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could better control tumor growth and potentially extend survival by making immune cells more effective against glioblastoma.
How similar studies have performed: Oncolytic viruses and NK-cell therapies have shown encouraging results in laboratories and early human trials, but combining them is a newer and still experimental approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fueyo, Juan — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Fueyo, Juan
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.