New clinical trial for pancreatic cancer initiated at Wilmot, prompted by recent discovery.
In a significant development in the fight against pancreatic cancer, a groundbreaking clinical trial is set to commence at the Wilmot Cancer Institute in early 2024. The trial will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an experimental drug, NP137, in treating metastatic pancreatic cancer.
NP137, developed by Netris Pharma of Lyon, France, is designed to target and inhibit Netrin-1, a protein known to drive lethal, genetic changes as pancreatic cancer cells migrate to the liver. Recent research has revealed that Netrin-1 activates hepatic stellate cells, which are involved in liver fibrosis, priming the liver as a host for cancer. Suppressing Netrin-1 with NP137 has been shown to reduce the spread of cancer and cause cancer cell death in mice and tissue studies.
The upcoming trial will be led by Darren Carpizo, MD, PhD, co-leader of Wilmot's Genetics, Epigenetics and Metabolism research program, and chief of Surgical Oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. The trial will involve eligible patients taking two cycles of NP137 before surgery, followed by surgery to remove the cancer, and then taking more of the experimental medication along with chemotherapy after surgery for up to six months.
The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) and Wilmot have funded much of the work leading to this trial. Aram Hezel, MD, chief of Hematology/Oncology at Wilmot, and Nabeel Badri, MBChB, a medical oncologist at Wilmot, will also be involved in the clinical trial.
The five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer remains low at 12 percent, a slight increase from previous years. Even when the cancer is localized to the pancreas and surgical removal is possible, the majority of patients face a recurrence of their cancer. In 85 percent of patients, pancreatic cancer has already spread outside of the pancreas at diagnosis.
The number of pancreatic cancer cases is rising worldwide and is predicted to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths by 2030. Researchers at Wilmot, including David Linehan, MD, Scott Gerber, PhD, and members of the Cancer Microenvironment research program, are conducting studies on new, targeted treatments for pancreatic cancer as part of a larger collaborative effort.
The results of the bench science investigation into the drug were recently published in the journal Cell Reports. The Wilmot clinical trial is a testament to the transformative research and clinical trials that PanCAN has highlighted as the reason for the recent, small uptick in survivorship rates for pancreatic cancer. The trial offers hope for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, potentially improving outcomes and expanding treatment options for this difficult-to-treat disease.
Science and health-and-wellness communities await the commencement of a groundbreaking clinical trial at the Wilmot Cancer Institute in early 2024, focusing on therapies-and-treatments for pancreatic cancer. This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of an experimental drug, NP137, developed by Netris Pharma, in combating metastatic pancreatic cancer, a disease with a low five-year survival rate of 12 percent. The trial, led by Darren Carpizo, involves patients taking NP137 before surgery, followed by surgery and chemotherapy, and could potentially improve outcomes for those suffering from this difficult-to-treat medical-condition.
