Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute awarded The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) a $575,178 Project Grant under the Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research Program (CFDA 93.394) for the period of May 15, 2026 through April 30, 2031. The research project develops novel radiopharmaceutical agents termed "Restricted Interaction Peptides" (RIPs) designed to improve targeted radiotherapy outcomes for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. The award supports development and validation of radiolabeled peptide-based therapeutics that leverage human kallikrein 2 (HK2), a tumor-specific protease produced by prostate cancer cells, as a targeting mechanism. The research aims to address the clinical challenge of variable and transient tumor responses to existing targeted radiotherapies by creating a platform technology that enhances radiopharmaceutical efficacy and safety.

UCSF will conduct antitumor assessment studies with lead compound KRIP2.1 conjugated to beta emitters (Lutetium-177) or alpha emitters (Actinium-225) to evaluate therapeutic efficacy in prostate cancer xenograft models. The project focuses on demonstrating that RIPs provide advantageous properties for targeted radiotherapy, including improved tumor specificity and reduced off-target activation compared to alternative targeting approaches such as prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). This research directly supports the Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research Program's objective to develop accurate diagnostic and therapeutic techniques that improve cancer treatment outcomes and patient stratification.