Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope a five-year Project Grant totaling $548,395 (awarded May 1, 2026; completion April 30, 2031) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). The grant supports research development of multifunctional anti-Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) oligonucleotide-based therapeutics targeting glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive brain tumor with a median overall survival of less than two years despite multimodal treatment approaches. The research addresses critical treatment resistance mechanisms including limited blood-brain barrier penetration, tumor molecular heterogeneity, and immunotherapy evasion by targeting RAGE signaling pathways implicated in GBM progression and immunosuppression.

The funded research program comprises three primary aims focused on optimizing anti-RAGE antisense oligonucleotide design and delivery strategies for GBM treatment. The research leverages preliminary findings demonstrating that genetic RAGE ablation suppresses oncogenic pathways regulating tumor growth and invasion while enhancing immunotherapy efficacy through galactin-3 inhibition and promotion of immunologically permissive tumor microenvironment conditions. Deliverables under this award will advance translational development of a multifaceted therapeutic approach addressing multiple GBM resistance mechanisms simultaneously, with potential to improve clinical outcomes in this treatment-refractory malignancy.