Federal Register #2026-09808

DHS Border Barrier Construction and NCI hetIL-15 Cancer Therapeutic Co-Development Opportunity

This opportunity involves two distinct federal initiatives in Texas: - Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of the Secretary: - Seeks expedited construction of physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors in the Big Bend Sector of the Texas border - Waiver of environmental and historic preservation laws to accelerate deployment - Focus on deterring illegal crossings and drug smuggling - Notable requirements: rapid deployment, integration of surveillance and security technologies - National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services: - Seeks research co-development partners and/or licensees for a novel cancer therapeutic based on heterodimeric IL-15 (hetIL-15) - Focus on drug combinations with PPARa agonists (notably Fenofibrate), FLT3 inhibitors (such as quizartinib), IL-12, and chemotherapy agents - Targeted cancers: triple negative breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and other solid tumors with T or NK cell exhaustion - Notable requirements: expertise in therapeutic development, ability to commercialize novel drug combinations - OEMs highlighted: - Manufacturers of Fenofibrate, quizartinib, IL-12, and chemotherapy agents - No specific product quantities listed for either initiative - Key locations: Big Bend Sector, Texas border (DHS construction); NCI/NIH (therapeutic development)

Description

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) seeks research co-development partners and/or licensees to develop hetIL-15 in combination with other agents, such as PPARa agonists (Fenofibrate), FLT3 inhibitors (quizartinib), IL-12, or chemotherapy into a therapeutic for cancer. The invention aims to improve cancer treatment by enhancing the metabolic fitness of intratumoral lymphocytes and overcoming toxicity issues associated with IL15-based therapies. The combinations have shown promising results in preclinical models of triple negative breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma. This opportunity is intended for therapeutic development in oncology and immunology.

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