SHORT DESCRIPTION Chemical compound that opens the blood-brain barrier to enhance delivery of therapeutics for treating glioblastoma.
NU 2025-212
IP STATUS
US Provisional Patent Application Filed (63/884,041)
DEVELOPMENT STAGE
TRL-3 Experimental Proof-of-Concept: Active R&D is initiated with robust preclinical studies in murine glioma models.
BACKGROUND The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective interface that regulates the exchange of substances between the bloodstream and the brain, preserving the stable conditions required for normal brain activity. While this barrier plays a critical role in protecting neural tissue from harmful agents, it also greatly limits the delivery of many therapeutic agents to the brain. As a result, effective treatment of neurological disorders such as brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease is challenging. Current treatments for brain tumors face challenges such as high cost, invasiveness, and poor permeability. Clinicians and researchers need improved methods that safely and effectively open the BBB to allow better treatment of neurological diseases.
ABSTRACT Northwestern researches found that STING Agonist 8803 is a chemical compound that opens the BBB to improve drug delivery for glioma treatment. The small molecule 8803 increases BBB permeability through targeted activation of endothelial cells lining the brain microvasculature. By precisely modulating endothelial tight junctions, 8803 enables the safe and efficient delivery of drugs, biologics, and cell-based gene therapies to the brain. Preclinical studies in mouse models show that combining 8803 with radiation therapy increases survival outcomes. It also enables non-invasive monitoring of BBB opening using PET imaging. This approach is broadly applicable across neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and brain tumors. Importantly, 8803 supports combination strategies that enhance the brain delivery of existing CNS therapeutics with poor intrinsic BBB penetration, reducing development risk while accelerating timelines and improving therapeutic efficacy.
APPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES
PUBLICATIONS
Tripathi, S et al. STING-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Combined with Radiotherapy Potentiates Antitumor Response in a High-Grade Glioma Model. J Clin Invest. Feb 16, 2026
CATEGORY/INDUSTRY PIPELINE
KEYWORDS Cancer, oncology, glioblastoma, brain cancer, STING agonist, blood-brain barrier, glioma, neuro-oncology, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, neurological disease, neurodegenerative disease, therapeutics