Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute awarded the University of Massachusetts Medical School a $530,050 Project Grant (CFDA 93.395: Cancer Treatment Research) effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, to develop a multi-targeted nanoparticle-based immunotherapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The research will engineer lipid-based nanoparticles (NPs) to deliver RAS pathway inhibitors (Trametinib/Palbociclib or RMC-7977) and STING/TLR4 innate immune agonists with targeting capabilities to tumor cells and dendritic cells within the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. The project leverages prior collaborative findings demonstrating that this combination approach synergistically enhances antigen presentation and CD8+ T cell infiltration while driving Type I interferon-dependent anti-tumor immune responses in preclinical PDAC models.

The research aims to overcome immune suppression barriers in PDAC by developing targeted NP formulations that enhance on-target specificity while reducing toxicity. By co-administering agonist-loaded NPs with inhibitor-loaded NPs, the research team seeks to drive coordinated innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses and potentiate immune checkpoint blockade efficacy to achieve long-term tumor control in this highly aggressive cancer with limited durable treatment options. The work represents fundamental and applied laboratory research in biological therapy development, consistent with the Cancer Treatment Research program's support for discovery and development of novel cancer treatment modalities.