# Cancer Immunotherapy Through Intratumoral Activation of Recall Responses

> **NIH NIH F32** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $66,446

## Abstract

Abstract: Cancer Immunotherapy Through Intratumoral Activation of Recall Responses
The overarching goal for this project is to elucidate whether recall antigen expression in the tumor
microenvironment can be used to enhance cancer immunotherapy, or potentially, serve as a new
anti-cancer modality. These studies will also determine whether immunological memory/pre-
existing immunity against an oncolytic poliovirus, PVSRIPO, is an impediment or asset to therapy.
PVSRIPO is showing remarkable promise in patients with glioblastoma, recently received
Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA, and represents a unique approach delivering
a potent human recall antigen (polio capsid) into human tumors. Surmounting evidence indicates
that recall response activation leads to both innate and adaptive inflammation, capable of inducing
immune responses against new antigens. This proposal seeks to harness the power of these
responses to enhance cancer immunotherapy. This will be accomplished through testing the role
of pre-existing anti-polio immunity on PVSRIPO therapy in mouse models of melanoma and brain
cancer in affecting both efficacy and antitumor immunity. Additionally, polio and tetanus antigens,
which are recall antigens for nearly everyone in the world, will be exogenously delivered into
murine melanoma and brain tumors to test if intratumoral inflammation and engagement of
antitumor immunity occurs in mice with recall responses to these antigens. Lastly, an in vitro
human system will be used to evaluate the effects of recall antigen induced inflammation on
antigen presenting cells and priming of new T cells. These studies aim to exhaustively test the
adjuvant potential of recall responses in the context of cancer immunotherapy; which has
remained an unexplored route to engage antitumor immunity to date.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9838158
- **Project number:** 5F32CA224593-03
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael Clavon Brown
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $66,446
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-01-18 → 2021-01-17

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9838158

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9838158, Cancer Immunotherapy Through Intratumoral Activation of Recall Responses (5F32CA224593-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9838158. Licensed CC0.

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