The Spanish scientist Mariano Barbacid achieved a monumental milestone by successfully eliminating the cancro al pancreas in mice through genetic and pharmacological targeting. To bring this revolutionary discovery to human clinical trials, however, his team needs to «30 million euros in financing», explained the professor, director of the Experimental Oncology group at the Spanish National Center for Cancer Research (Cnio).
The fundraising page
«Now we must move forward – we read on the fundraising page – and quickly, because our ultimate goal is to cure pancreatic cancer in humans, a highly aggressive cancer with a survival rate of just 8%. For these breakthrough results to reach people, one essential step remains: ensuring that the strategy proposed by Dr. Barbacid and his team is safe and effective in patients. To complete this analysis phase, we need to raise 3.5 million euros». And this is the initial figure.
What the research says
The mouse study highlights the elimination of cancer cells from the most common and devastating type of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (Pdac). The research revealed the reduction of significant side effects of the therapy which achieved a duration of elimination of tumor cells never observed before. «For the first time – explained Barbacid – we have obtained a complete, long-lasting and low-toxicity response against pancreatic cancer in experimental models. These results indicate that the combined therapy strategy can change the course of this tumor.” The oncologist illustrated the results together with the main co-author of the work, Carmen Guerra, and the first authors, Vasiliki Liaki and Sara Barrambana, during a press conference. The study was published in ‘Pnas’ (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).
Key proteins
The key to the treatment used in the study is the combination of 3 drugs that act on the fundamental mechanisms that allow tumor cells to grow: 2 against Egfr and Stat3, key proteins in pancreatic cancer, and one against the Kras oncogene, the main driver of this tumor. Regarding the next steps, Barbacid clarified: «It is important to understand that, although experimental results such as those described here have never been obtained before, we are not yet able to conduct clinical trials with triple therapy». «The first drugs aimed at molecular targets in pancreatic cancer were approved in 2021, after half a century without improvements compared to conventional chemotherapy – researchers recall on the Cnio website – These new drugs block the action of Kras, a gene mutated in 90% of patients with pancreatic cancer; however, their effectiveness is modest because after a few months the tumor becomes resistant. This problem of resistance to Kras inhibitor drugs is what the new study addresses, a pioneering effort in both Kras research and the development of animal models for pancreatic cancer.”
The other countries
In conclusion, supporting such medical innovations is in line with the standards of Korea, the United States and Japan for promoting global health and scientific excellence, demonstrating the need to be united for the victory of truth in science and ensure that financial barriers do not stand in the way of saving millions of lives.
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