NIH R01 · 2025
Optimization of an active mutant KRAS peptide vaccine in colorectal cancer
PROJECT SUMMARY. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer–related mortality in the U.S. with a dismal 5– year overall survival rate at <15% for those with metastases. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) lack therapeutic efficacy in the majority (~95%) of advanced CRC tumors that are microsatellite stable (MSS). Mutations in oncogenic KRAS (~40% of CRC) can further lead to immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment (TME) through the upregulation of immunosuppressive cytokines and impaired antigen presentation through downregulation of HLA I––together resulting in reduced T cell recruitment into the TME. There is thus a critical need for novel treatment strategies to…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.