# Novel targeted therapies for HPV-associated Non-AIDS-defining cancers (Biospecimens/Biocohort)

> **NIH NIH P30** · BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE/CITY OF HOPE · 2022 · $250,000

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Novel targeted therapies for HPV-associated Non-AIDS-defining cancers (Biospecimens/Biocohort)
The incidents of non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADC) are increasing in HIV-infected individuals (HIVIIs), urging
the development of therapeutic interventions. Many HIV-associated cancers are a result of co-infections with
oncogenic viruses, and the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is prevalent in the development of several
NADCs, including head-and-neck (HNC) and anal cancers. Importantly, the HPV viral oncogenes are involved
in the transformation and maintenance of these cancers and are considered unique targets in HPV-associated
malignancies. Often considered `undruggable', these viral genes are susceptible to targeted gene therapeutic
strategies and we have developed a novel, potent zinc finger protein (ZFP) that can strongly repress viral
oncogenes to elicit anti-cancer effects; a promising approach to HPV-associated NADCs. Furthermore, lipid
nanoparticles (LNPs) are a therapeutically relevant non-viral delivery system, which we have used previously for
in vivo delivery of RNA-based therapeutics. Importantly, even though the HPV oncogenes represent viable
therapeutic targets, there are no studies investigating the potential anti-proliferative effect of targeting the viral
oncogenes in HPV-associated tumors from HIVIIs in vivo. Our long-term goal is to develop innovative
interventions for the treatment of virally driven cancers emerging in HIVIIs, with the objective of this project to
use LNP-delivered ZFP repressors to inactive HPV oncogenes in NADCs. Guided by our strong preliminary data
and expertise using targeted repressors and nanoparticle delivery systems, we propose two complementary but
distinct objectives, 1) the characterization of novel, potent ZFP repressors for anti-proliferative effects in HPV-
associated cell line models relevant to NADCs, and 2) to assess LNP-delivered anti-HPV effectors to inhibit
HPV-associated HNCs from HIVIIs in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) murine model. Collectively, this work
will be impactful by developing an innovative targeted repressor to inhibit HPV-associated NADCs, offering a
novel intervention to malignancies increasing in HIVIIs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10620083
- **Project number:** 3P30CA033572-39S2
- **Recipient organization:** BECKMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE/CITY OF HOPE
- **Principal Investigator:** STEVEN Terry ROSEN
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $250,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-09-01 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10620083

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10620083, Novel targeted therapies for HPV-associated Non-AIDS-defining cancers (Biospecimens/Biocohort) (3P30CA033572-39S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10620083. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*