# Targeting apoptotic cells to enhance radiotherapy

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $574,207

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
 Radiation therapy is a potent element of standard cancer care, used in the treatment of over half of all
cancer patients. While the clinical benefits of radiotherapy are well documented, the dose to adjacent and
intermeshed normal organs and subsequent toxicity remains the biggest obstacle to continued escalation of
radiation doses to tumors in order to obtain cancer cures with RT. Significant number of patients will develop
locally persistent/recurrent tumors after radiotherapy. Therefore, radiosensitizing compounds, radiosensitizers,
have been developed to enhance tumor killing effects without escalation of radiation doses. However, their
clinical applications are limited due to invasive or insufficient tumor delivery and lack of specificity or systemic
toxicity. The goal of this project is to develop a prodrug-based therapeutic strategy empowered by a
nanotechnology pioneered by us —in cellulo nanoassembly—to amplify and enhance radiotherapeutic efficacy
for treating prostate cancer. Unlike common nanoparticle-based delivery approach, this delivery strategy does
not rely on the tumor enhanced permeability and retention effect. We propose to take advantage of the intrinsic
heterogeneous response to radiation therapy by targeting this initial population of apoptotic cells for depositing
radiosensitizers and enhancing radiotherapeutic effects. The project will develop and characterize the new
prodrug radiosensitizers for targeting apoptosis (Aim 1); investigate the pharmacokinetics, toxicity and validate
the in vivo treatment mechanism (Aim 2); and develop an image-guided treatment strategy, followed by a
comprehensive evaluation of the therapeutic benefit in orthotopic prostate cancer mouse models (Aim 3).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10538071
- **Project number:** 1R01CA271530-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jianghong Rao
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $574,207
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-22 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10538071

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10538071, Targeting apoptotic cells to enhance radiotherapy (1R01CA271530-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10538071. Licensed CC0.

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