# Lymph node-targeted multistage chemoimmunotherapy for lymphoma

> **NIH NIH R01** · GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2021 · $514,622

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, that arises from B
lymphocytes and accounts for ~25% of NHL cases that is presently considered an incurable disease.
Intratumoral application [to within diseased lymph nodes (LNs)] of immunotherapy drugs when used in
combination with radiation therapy potently induces the abscopal effect, which is an attractive approach
given the systemic nature of FL. However, given the toxicity risks of radiation therapy and invasive
nature of intratumoral drug administration, new therapeutic approaches are crucially needed. The
objective of this R01 program is to develop and validate a temporally controlled, two-stage drug delivery
technology targeting lymphoma-bearing LNs for FL therapy. This will be tested in a rigorous preclinical
model of Bcl6 and EZH2-driven lymphoma which is an animal model that most closely resembles
human disease. Three aims are proposed:
 Aim 1: LN delivery and effects of immune stimulatory agents.
 Aim 2: LN delivery and effects of drugs inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD).
 Aim 3: Combined delivery of immune stimulatory and ICD-inducing agents in the Bcl6-EZH2
 lymphoma model.
This project is expected to yield several outcomes. First, these studies will define parameters for
enhancing the efficacy of FL therapy via LN drug targeting. Second, the potential for LN-targeted
therapy to improve the abscopal effect in the treatment of FL will be established. Therapeutic agents
already in human clinical testing or approved for human use will be investigated in this work to ensure
the highest potential for rapid clinical translation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10130468
- **Project number:** 5R01CA247484-02
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** M.G. Finn
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $514,622
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10130468

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10130468, Lymph node-targeted multistage chemoimmunotherapy for lymphoma (5R01CA247484-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10130468. Licensed CC0.

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