Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded a $379,644 Project Grant to the University of Pittsburgh under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) for the period of June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2028. The project develops cyclic peptide-based adaptors for universal Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy. The research focuses on designing, synthesizing, and testing cyclic peptide adaptors that can program SNAP-CAR (Snap-tag CAR) T cells to recognize prominent cancer antigens. These peptide-based adaptors offer significant advantages over protein-based alternatives, including reduced production costs, synthetic versatility, and potential for oral administration. The research team will validate the adaptors and their combinatorial use through in vitro studies and in vivo human tumor xenograft models to demonstrate anti-tumor efficacy in physiologically relevant systems.

This project addresses a critical limitation in universal CAR T cell therapy by replacing costly and complex antibody adaptors with synthetic cyclic peptides that can be rapidly developed and interchangeably deployed to target multiple antigens. By enabling more flexible and reversible targeting mechanisms, the research aims to overcome therapeutic challenges associated with antigen loss and tumor heterogeneity in cancer treatment. The Cancer Treatment Research program supports the development and evaluation of improved cancer treatment methods across all therapeutic modalities, including biological therapies such as CAR-T cell approaches.