Project Grant R42CA314463
- The National Cancer Institute awarded Tiburon Bio Inc. $305,488 on September 1, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to develop a sustained-release multidomain peptide hydrogel formulation combining an iNOS inhibitor (L-NIL) and a STING-agonist (CDN) for use with immune checkpoint inhibitor monoclonal antibodies in neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable oral cancers. The work aims to enhance immune priming to control residual disease following tumor resection and...
- The National Cancer Institute awarded Nanocan Therapeutics Corporation $2,996,343 on September 24, 2025, to conduct the first clinical trial of the Liquid Immunotherapeutic Fiducial Eluter (LIFE) gel for treatment of advanced cervical cancer under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395). The LIFE gel is a biocompatible, biodegradable immunotherapeutic administered locally in conjunction with hypo-fractionated radiotherapy. The technology extends local radiotherapy's use from...
- The National Cancer Institute awarded Vesicle Therapeutics Inc. $400,000 on September 16, 2025, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to develop a targeted antisense oligonucleotide therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Vesicle Therapeutics is synthesizing and evaluating a thiomorpholino-based antisense oligonucleotide designed to selectively inhibit the oncogenic STAT3A isoform while preserving the tumor-suppressive STAT3B isoform. The Phase I project...
- The National Cancer Institute awarded Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory $770,911 under the Cancer Biology Research program (CFDA 93.396) on July 1, 2026, to define the role of sphingolipid synthesis in anti-tumor immunity. The project investigates how alterations in lipid metabolism, particularly sphingolipid synthesis catalyzed by serine palmitoyl transferase (SPT), enable cancer cells to evade immune attack in the tumor microenvironment. Preliminary in vivo genetic screens in KRAS-mutant mouse...
- The National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute awarded The Medical University of South Carolina $211,778 on September 1, 2026, under the Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research program (CFDA 93.394) to optimize a single-cell multi-omics analysis platform for circulating and therapeutic immune cells. The funded work develops and standardizes analyte profiles detectable in CD4, CD8, CD14, CD19, CD16, and CD56 immune cells isolated from cancer-associated peripheral blood mononuclear...
- The National Cancer Institute awarded Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research $709,145 on September 1, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to develop and evaluate senescence-modulating nanoparticles targeting P-selectin on senescent cells as a strategy to potentiate cancer immunotherapy in fibrotic tumors. The project addresses a barrier in cancer immunotherapy: many patients with solid tumors remain unresponsive to immune checkpoint blockade and CAR T cell...
- The National Cancer Institute awarded Twin Peaks Bio, Inc. $398,704 on September 2, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to conduct lead selection studies of novel antisense oligonucleotide therapies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma immunotherapy. Twin Peaks Bio will develop bi-specific conjugate molecules that pair STAT3 antisense oligonucleotides with synthetic TLR9 agonists (CPG DNA) for targeted delivery to tumor-associated myeloid cells. The approach aims...
- The National Cancer Institute awarded Daybreak Pharmaceuticals Inc. $303,345 on September 1, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to develop a first-in-class synthetic RNA-based therapy targeting the mutagenic translesion synthesis pathway to enhance chemotherapy efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer. The project delivers proof-of-concept evaluation of translesion synthesis inhibition using a nucleic acid construct encoding a dominant-negative REV1 C-terminal...
- The National Cancer Institute awarded The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center $671,740 on August 1, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to define biomarkers and overcome resistance to DLL3-targeting immune therapies in small cell lung cancer. The research focuses on understanding tumor-intrinsic and immune-related mechanisms of response and resistance to delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3)-targeting T-cell engagers, particularly following the FDA approval of...
- The National Cancer Institute, a component of the Department of Health and Human Services, awarded $644,423 to Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research on June 18, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395). The recipient will develop short-wave infrared (SWIR) Cerenkov luminescence imaging (SWIR-CLI) to visualize the distribution of therapeutic radiotracers and improve monitoring of targeted radiotherapy. Current Cerenkov luminescence imaging requires light-tight...
The National Cancer Institute awarded Lipo-Immuno TECH LLC $348,352 on August 7, 2026, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to develop a C18-ceramide analog drug targeting head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The recipient is developing LCL768, a first-in-class compound that conjugates C18-ceramide with pyridinium to selectively accumulate in HNSCC mitochondria, bind LC3B, and recruit autophagosomes, with selenite included to induce DRP1 activation and lethal mitophagy. Preliminary data from optimization studies of 30 ceramide analogs demonstrated that LCL768 also reduced exhausted CD8+ T cells and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. The patent for LCL768 and derivatives was issued August 19, 2025 (US 12,390,490 B2). The grant funds a fast-track STTR-R42 Phase I application focused on structure-activity relationship and optimization studies to improve on-target potency of LCL768 and a backup analog, with defined milestones and stop/go determinations to advance the lead compound. Lipo-Immuno TECH LLC is a for-profit small business that originated from the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina and focuses on cancer immunotherapies and mitochondrial-targeting therapeutics. Work is performed in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. The period of performance runs through July 31, 2027.
Mod # | Description | ReasonForModification | Federal Obligation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not listed | $348.4k | 8/7/26 |