ARPA-H funds project to revolutionize cancer therapy with ultrasound-based approach

The project will work to replace radiation, chemotherapy, and bone marrow transplants for blood-based cancers

Today, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced the funding of a project for a novel treatment of blood cancers, including leukemia and multiple myeloma. The Sonodynamic Therapy for Hematologic Malignancies project aims to develop a minimally or non-invasive ultrasound treatment to activate a compound that can destroy cancer cells. 

Radiation and chemotherapy treatments for leukemias carry potentially severe side effects and can miss cancer cells, allowing for disease recurrence. One promising alternative is a light-based therapy, in which a photosensitive drug is administered and then activated by light exposure. This approach has been approved for years in blood cancers, but still requires catheters, external treatment of blood, and transfusion back to the body. Using an ultrasound-based, or sonodynamic, approach instead is a way to simultaneously lower the complexity and cost of blood cancer treatment and increase patient safety and comfort.   

“A non-invasive cancer treatment that is highly effective without debilitating side effects would be a revolution in the world of oncology,” Amy Jenkins, Ph.D., ARPA-H Health Science Futures Mission Office Director. “ARPA-H is boldly investing in this novel research area because we envision a future where cancers are treated more quickly and easily.” 

ARPA-H has dedicated up to $46 million in funding to the company SonALAsense to develop the devices and protocols necessary to make this technology work for leukemias. Some success has already been demonstrated using deep-penetrating ultrasound to stimulate tumor cell death in solid cancers. If preclinical trials are successful, sonodynamic therapy could advance to clinical trials for several types of blood cancer. 

This award is one of multiple projects solicited through the agency’s Open Broad Agency Announcement (Open-BAA). ARPA-H continues to seek transformative ideas for health research innovation through the Mission Office Innovative Solution Openings. Continued support of each award is contingent on projects meeting aggressive milestones, typical to the ARPA-H process.   

To learn more about projects as they are awarded, visit the project awardee page.