Sandberg, David

Principal Investigator

Health Science Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, USA

McGovern Medical School

For over a decade, I have studied local drug delivery into the fourth ventricle of the brain to treat recurrent, malignant posterior fossa tumors in children. I first studied safety and pharmacokinetics in piglets and then non-human primates. These experiments led to a promising pilot trial in humans, and we currently have several open clinical trials for children with recurrent malignant brain tumors originating in the fourth ventricle.

Existing collaborations relevant to drug delivery

 Collaboration with Rachael Sirianni, Ph.D., on nanoparticle encapsulation of drugs for CSF delivery.

Publications relevant to drug delivery

Sandberg DI, Kharas N, Yu B, Janssen CF, Trimble A, Ballester LY, Patel R, Mohammad AS, Elmquist WF, Sirianni RW. High-dose MTX110 (soluble panobinostat) safely administered into the fourth ventricle in a nonhuman primate model. J Neurosurg Pediatr 1:1-9, 2020.  PMID: 32357333.

Householder KT, Dharmaraj S, Sandberg DI, Weschler-Reya RJ, Sirianni RW. Fate of nanoparticles in the central nervous system after intrathecal injection in  healthy mice.”  Sci Rep 9 (1) 12587, 2019.

Sandberg DI, Yu B, Patel R, Hagan J, Miesner E, Sabin J, Smith S, Fletcher   S, Shah MN, Sirianni RW, Taylor MD. “Infusion of 5-Azacytidine (5-AZA) into the fourth ventricle or tumor resection cavity in children with recurrent posterior fossa ependymoma: a pilot clinical trial.”  J Neurooncol, 141 (2)” 448-457, 2019.

Patel RP, Sitton CW, Ketonen LM, Hou P, Johnson JM, Romo S, Fletcher S, Shah MN, Kerr M, Zaky W, Rytting ME, Khatua S, Sandberg DI.  “Phase-Contrast Cerebrospinal Fluid Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Qualitative Evaluation of Patency of CSF Flow Pathways Prior to Infusion of Chemotherapeutic and Other Agents into the Fourth Ventricle.” Childs Nerv Syst 34 (3): 481-486, 2018

Sandberg DI, Kerr ML.  “Ventricular Access Device Placement in the Fourth Ventricle to Treat Malignant Fourth Ventricle Brain Tumors:  Technical Note.” Child’s Nerv Syst. 32 (4): 703-7, 2016

Sandberg DI, Rytting M, Zaky W, Kerr M, Ketonen L, Kundu U, Moore BD, Yang G, Hou P, Sitton C, Cooper LJ, Gopalakrishnan V, Lee DA, Thall PF, Khatua S.  “Methotrexate Administration Directly into the Fourth Ventricle in Children with Malignant Fourth Ventricle Brain Tumors: A Pilot Clinical Trial.”  J Neurooncol, 125(1): 133-141, 2015

Sandberg DI, Peet MM, Johnson MD, Cole P, Koru-Sengul T, Luqman AW.  "Chemotherapy administration directly into the fourth ventricle in a nonhuman primate model."  J Neurosurg Pediatrics 9: 530-541, 2012.

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