Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a $661,135 Project Grant effective June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2029, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395). This research initiative, led by principal investigators Crabtree, Kay, Gray, and Woyach, focuses on developing novel therapeutic approaches to address critical unmet medical needs in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), particularly for patients with drug-resistant disease and Richter transformation. The project will deliver foundational and preclinical research on a new class of small molecules called TCIPs (Transcriptional/Epigenetic Chemical Inducers of Proximity) that employ chemically induced proximity mechanisms to rewire mutated cancer drivers and activate programmed cell death pathways, thereby circumventing secondary driver mutations and alternate oncogenic pathways.

The research conducted at Stanford's Palo Alto, California facility will advance the development and evaluation of these novel molecularly targeted therapeutic molecules through laboratory and preclinical testing. The deliverables include scientific research outputs, preclinical data, and intellectual property that contribute to the broader Cancer Treatment Research program objective of developing improved cancer treatment methods. This work addresses the urgent therapeutic need for CLL patients who have progressed after BTK inhibitors and BCL-2 antagonists, where current median overall survival following Richter transformation falls below one year.