Researchers at Spain’s National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have successfully eradicated pancreatic cancer in mice for the first time, according to a new study published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).
The research team, led by renowned Spanish oncologist Dr Mariano Barbacid, demonstrated that a triple combination therapy was able to eliminate pancreatic tumours in multiple animal models while preventing the development of treatment resistance.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common form of pancreatic cancer, is one of the deadliest cancers, with a five-year survival rate of less than five per cent. Current treatments often lose effectiveness within months as tumours rapidly develop resistance.
In the study, researchers combined an experimental drug, already approved for lung cancer, with a protein degrader and an additional targeted agent. This triple therapy led to the complete disappearance of tumours without significant side effects in three different mouse models.
The study author revealed: “These studies open a path to designing new combination therapies that can improve survival for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
“These results point the way for developing new clinical trials.”
Dr Barbacid, who heads the Experimental Oncology Group at CNIO, emphasised that while the findings represent a significant advance, the results are still limited to preclinical research.
He said: “It is important to understand that, although experimental results like those described here have never been obtained before, we are not yet in a position to carry out clinical trials with the triple therapy.”
No human clinical trials are currently underway, and further studies will be required to assess safety, dosing, and effectiveness in patients.
The Embassy of Spain in the UK highlighted the findings on social media, calling the research a major scientific achievement with the potential to impact future cancer treatment: “A team of scientists from the Spanish Cancer Research Centre, led by the renowned Dr Mariano Barbacid, has achieved the complete and permanent disappearance of pancreatic cancer in experimental models. This discovery could make a difference in the fight against this disease.”
