Spanish Scientists Cure Pancreatic Cancer in Mice in Major Breakthrough
A Spanish research team has achieved a landmark success, completely curing pancreatic cancer in mice using a novel two-drug therapy. This breakthrough offers new hope against one of the deadliest cancers known.
Key Takeaways
- Researchers from Barcelona’s VHIO cured pancreatic cancer in mice using a dual-drug approach.
- The therapy combines a KRAS-blocking drug with an immunotherapy agent.
- In some mice, tumours disappeared entirely with no recurrence after stopping treatment.
- Human clinical trials could start within the next 18 months.
The “Avatar” Model and Dual-Drug Attack
The study, led by Dr. María Abad, first created “avatars” of the disease by transplanting human pancreatic cancer cells into mice. The team then treated these mice with a combination of two drugs already approved for other cancers.
“We have a very clear result: in mice that have been cured, it is not that the disease does not progress or that tumours shrink, but that the tumours disappear,” Dr. Abad told Spanish news agency EFE.
How the Therapy Works
The treatment strategy tackles the disease on two fronts:
- Targeting KRAS: The first drug blocks the KRAS protein, a key driver in about 95% of pancreatic cancers.
- Boosting Immunity: The second drug is an immunotherapy that helps the body’s immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells.
Critically, the KRAS inhibitor appears to break down the protective barrier that typically shields pancreatic tumours from immune attack, allowing the immunotherapy to work effectively.
Path to Human Trials
While the mouse results are highly promising, the researchers stress the need for human trials. The next phase is a clinical trial with real patients, potentially starting in about a year and a half.
The Challenge of Pancreatic Cancer
This breakthrough is significant because pancreatic cancer has a dismal five-year survival rate of only around 12%. It is often detected late and resists standard treatments like and radiotherapy.
The study, published in Cancer Cell, received funding from the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) and the European Research Council.
