Dennis Adeegbe, Ph.D.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, and there is a lack of effective treatments for this disease. We recently found that a drug called ACY241, when administered in an animal model of NSCLC, promoted positive changes in the immune cells within the tumors. We will study how this drug evokes these changes in immune cells and determine if leveraging its immune-enhancing activity will be more effective than existing treatments when combined with other drugs that impair the activity of immune-suppressing T cells. This research could lead to new strategies to combat lung cancer.

Update:

We have successfully collected samples consisting of tumor-associated immune cell subsets for genomic profiling in order to gain insight into molecular mechanisms and potential pathways that are regulated by ACY241. We also are conducting treatment studies in mice utilizing this drug and/or antibodies to target the immune-suppressive T cells. We are monitoring tumor progression by MRI and we are recording overall survival. Our preliminary data suggest administering either of these agents is associated with some prolongation in survival.