# STING-Activating Polymeric Nanovaccines for T Cell Therapy of Melanoma

> **NIH NIH U01** · UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $535,530

## Abstract

Abstract
 Cancer immunotherapy is emerging as a new paradigm for the treatment of cancer by targeting
the body's immune system instead of tumor. Clinical approvals of several check point inhibitors (e.g.,
Ipilimumab, Pembrolizumab) have shown durable response in a small subset of melanoma patients
over conventional chemotherapy. Despite these successes, many cancers are poorly immunogenic
and do not generate adequate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and therefore these patients cannot
benefit from immune checkpoint therapies. The long-term goal of this application is to establish
STING-activating polymeric nanovaccines for cytotoxic T cell therapy of melanoma. We will capitalize
on the discovery of an ultra-pH sensitive polymer (PC7A) that allows optimal spatio-temporal
orchestration of cytosolic delivery of tumor antigen (Ag) in dendritic cells and innate stimulation for the
robust production of tumor-specific CTLs. A simple physical mixture of Ag-PC7A NP resulted in a
robust Th1 and CTL (>80%) response without the need of innate stimulants (i.e., CpG, Poly(I:C)). Use
of tumor associated antigens (TAAs) have shown significantly increased antitumor efficacy in a
B16F10 melanoma model in mice. We will test the central hypothesis that PC7A nanoparticle vaccine
will synergize with checkpoint inhibition to allow a safe and efficacious T cell therapy of melanoma.
There are three specific aims: (1) Expand the nanovaccine platform to multiple melanoma peptide
antigens; (2) Evaluate the safety of the polymeric nanovaccines in healthy, immunocompetent
animals; and (3) Evaluate the antitumor efficacy of the polymer nanovaccines and its synergy with
checkpoint inhibition. Accomplishments of the above aims will provide critical data for clinical
translation of the nanovaccines for melanoma therapy. We will also collaborate with other
nanoalliance members to test the PC7A NP in additional cancer indications.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10229423
- **Project number:** 5U01CA218422-05
- **Recipient organization:** UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Jinming Gao
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $535,530
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-30 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10229423

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10229423, STING-Activating Polymeric Nanovaccines for T Cell Therapy of Melanoma (5U01CA218422-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10229423. Licensed CC0.

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