Purpose:

• To investigating whether NBD peptide can promote tumor cell death in canine soft tissue sarcomas (STS) that have active NF-KB (signaling pathway) activity

Eligibility criteria:

• Confirmed/highly suspected diagnosis of STS obtained either via FNA or biopsy
• Dog is otherwise healthy
• No evidence of pulmonary metastasis

Basic study design:

• Screening visit - staging (blood work, urinalysis, chest x-rays) + incisional biopsy of the mass (to confirm diagnosis of sarcoma and also to determine whether the NF-KB pathway is overactive in the mass)
• If the overactive pathway is identified, then within one week:
  • Daily tumor injections for 4 days with the NBD peptide (outpatient procedure)
  • On day 5, the tumor is removed via definitive surgical excision (or if it is nonresectable, a second incisional biopsy will be obtained).
• Following surgery - recheck visits every 2 months for a total of 3 visits (physical exam and chest x-rays).

Covered costs:

• Physical examinations throughout the course of the study.
• General health blood and urine tests at screening and one day after the last NBD peptide administration.
• Chest x-rays at screening and every 2 months there-after for a total of 6 months.
• Two biopsies of the tumor performed under light sedation or general anesthetic.
• Immunohistochemical analysis of the tumor (to determine NF-kappaB expression).
• $300 towards definitive surgery (to be performed one day following the last NBD peptide administration. This would replace the second biopsy procedure)
• Treatment of any toxicity your dog develops secondary to NBD peptide administration.

Please contact the VCIC at 215-573-0302 or vcic@vet.upenn.edu for more information about this study.