Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Seattle Children's Research Institute received a $772,757 Project Grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) awarded on July 15, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of June 30, 2031. The award funds research development and evaluation of T Cell Engagers (TCEs)—a class of protein therapeutics designed to treat pediatric and adult brain tumors, including diffuse midline gliomas, recurrent high-grade gliomas, medulloblastomas, and brain metastases from lung, breast, and colon cancers. The project focuses on developing safer TCE variants that target PD-L1 (Programmed Death Ligand 1), which is upregulated in the tumor microenvironment in response to immunotherapy, enabling the TCEs to overcome tumor heterogeneity and antigen escape mechanisms that limit existing CAR T cell and TCE therapies.

The research aims to widen the therapeutic window of PD-L1-targeted TCEs by diminishing their activity in non-cancerous tissues while enhancing T cell activity within the tumor microenvironment. The project builds on preliminary data demonstrating that patient-derived brain tumor and brain metastases models respond exceptionally well to PD-L1 TCEs at concentrations that are well-tolerated in advanced toxicity studies. Through this five-year funding period, Seattle Children's Research Institute will conduct fundamental and applied research to advance TCE development toward clinical testing, contributing to improved treatment outcomes for pediatric and adult cancer patients with otherwise poor prognoses.