Latest news with #PDAC
Scottish Sun
12-06-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Life-saving new jab against world's deadliest cancer could ‘cure' half of all patients and one day eliminate the disease
A NEW vaccine could cure up to half of all pancreatic cancer cases and may one day wipe out the disease entirely, scientists say. Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest cancer in the world. Advertisement 2 This vaccine uses nanoparticles to train the body's immune system to find and kill 'bad' cancer cells Credit: Alamy Some 10,500 people are diagnosed with the disease in the UK each year. And only about seven out of 100 of them will survive it for five years or more, according to Cancer Research UK. This is partly because it shows no symptoms until it has already spread to other parts of the body, making it incredibly hard to treat. While surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can help extend life, they rarely offer a cure. Advertisement Now, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic, both in the US, have developed a new type of jab to fight pancreatic cancer. This vaccine uses tiny particles called nanoparticles to train the body's immune system to find and kill 'bad' cancer cells. In early tests with animals and lab models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common and aggressive type of pancreatic cancer, more than half of the treated patients were completely cancer-free months after getting the vaccine. "Pancreatic cancer is super aggressive," said Professor Zheng-Rong (ZR) Lu, a biomedical engineer at Case School of Engineering, who has been working on the jab. Advertisement "So it came as a surprise that our approach works so well." The vaccine also encourages the body to create its own T cells, immune fighters specially trained to attack cancer, while building up 'immune memory' for longer-term protection. Stranger Things actor Mark Withers dies aged 77 after pancreatic cancer battle as tributes paid to 'strength & dignity' Unlike some treatments made just for one person, this vaccine could work for many patients with this type of cancer, the experts said. The exact cause of pancreatic cancer is not always known, but about one in 10 cases of the disease are thought to be caused by genes that increase a person's risk of developing the cancer. Advertisement The scientists believe the jab could even be used as a preventive for people at high risk of pancreatic cancer, such as those with inherited gene mutations linked to the disease. 2 Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest cancer in the world. Credit: Getty 'We've shown that our vaccine generated immune memory in preclinical models,' said Professor Zheng-Rong. "If we could do that in patients, we could prevent PDAC before tumors start forming, so the vaccines could be either therapeutic or preventative.' Advertisement The researchers hope to move towards human clinical trials, once further safety studies in animal models are completed.
The Sun
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Life-saving new jab against world's deadliest cancer could ‘cure' half of all patients and one day eliminate the disease
A NEW vaccine could cure up to half of all pancreatic cancer cases and may one day wipe out the disease entirely, scientists say. Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest cancer in the world. Some 10,500 people are diagnosed with the disease in the UK each year. And only about seven out of 100 of them will survive it for five years or more, according to Cancer Research UK. This is partly because it shows no symptoms until it has already spread to other parts of the body, making it incredibly hard to treat. While surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can help extend life, they rarely offer a cure. Now, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic, both in the US, have developed a new type of jab to fight pancreatic cancer. This vaccine uses tiny particles called nanoparticles to train the body's immune system to find and kill 'bad' cancer cells. In early tests with animals and lab models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), the most common and aggressive type of pancreatic cancer, more than half of the treated patients were completely cancer-free months after getting the vaccine. "Pancreatic cancer is super aggressive," said Professor Zheng-Rong (ZR) Lu, a biomedical engineer at Case School of Engineering, who has been working on the jab. "So it came as a surprise that our approach works so well." The vaccine also encourages the body to create its own T cells, immune fighters specially trained to attack cancer, while building up 'immune memory' for longer-term protection. Stranger Things actor Mark Withers dies aged 77 after pancreatic cancer battle as tributes paid to 'strength & dignity' Unlike some treatments made just for one person, this vaccine could work for many patients with this type of cancer, the experts said. The exact cause of pancreatic cancer is not always known, but about one in 10 cases of the disease are thought to be caused by genes that increase a person's risk of developing the cancer. The scientists believe the jab could even be used as a preventive for people at high risk of pancreatic cancer, such as those with inherited gene mutations linked to the disease. 2 'We've shown that our vaccine generated immune memory in preclinical models,' said Professor Zheng-Rong. "If we could do that in patients, we could prevent PDAC before tumors start forming, so the vaccines could be either therapeutic or preventative.' The researchers hope to move towards human clinical trials, once further safety studies in animal models are completed.
Toronto Sun
06-06-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Ring of Fire to be made special economic zone 'quickly as possible:' Ford
Published Jun 05, 2025 • Last updated 5 minutes ago • 2 minute read Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks at the PDAC mining conference at Toronto's Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Monday March 3, 2025. Photo by Peter J. Thompson / Postmedia Ontario intends to designate the mineral-rich Ring of Fire as a so-called special economic zone 'as quickly as possible,' Premier Doug Ford said Thursday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Ford said he and several ministers will consult all summer with First Nations about the new law that allows the Ontario government to suspend provincial and municipal rules before making the designation. 'We need to start moving on that,' Ford said of the designation for the Ring of Fire. Last week, Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford and Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce said they would hold off on making the area a special economic zone until they had consulted with all affect First Nations. The law seeks to speed up the building of large projects, particularly mines. Ford's government has committed $1 billion to develop the Ring of Fire. Read More Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Three First Nations have signed various agreements with the province to help build roads to the region, as well as develop the area where it connects to the provincial highway system. However, First Nations across Ontario have risen up to protest the province's new law, livid about what what they describe as the government's audacity to strip away any law it sees fit for any project at any time. They say it tramples their treaty rights and ignores their concerns. The First Nations want to be part of development, including mines, but want to be equal partners with the province on the legislative side. They have warned Ford repeatedly that they will take the fight to the courts and to the land. Blockades of highways, railways and mines are on the table this summer, numerous First Nations said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our First Nations communities and I understand some may disagree, but I'll tell you, a lot of them agree,' Ford said. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Tensions have been high at the provincial legislature over the past few weeks because of the opposition to the bill. Dozens of First Nations members flew from the Far North to Queen's Park to watch the province pass Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, on Wednesday. Security booted about a dozen of them from the legislature's chambers for raining jeers down upon the politicians as they passed the bill into law. NDP legislator Sol Mamakwa, the representative for Kiiwetinoong where the Ring of Fire is located, was also kicked out earlier this week for saying Ford was 'telling untruths' to First Nations about his government's plans for the Ring of Fire. There is plenty of opposition to the new law in addition to First Nations' concerns. Critics also say the bill guts protections for endangered and threatened species. The legislature rose for its annual summer break and will not return until Oct. 20. World Olympics Toronto & GTA Columnists Music
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ImPact Biotech Announces Treatment of First Patient in Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Padeliporfin VTP in Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC)
– Previously inoperable patient converted to eligible for resection, underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy, following single course of treatment with Padeliporfin VTP – TEL AVIV, Israel, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ImPact Biotech, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing Padeliporfin vascular targeted photodynamic (VTP) therapy to treat a range of solid tumors, today announced that the first patient has been treated in its Phase 1 trial evaluating Padeliporfin VTP in individuals with locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) at the UCI Irvine Medical Center. The patient, who was initially assessed as ineligible for surgical resection, received a single administration of Padeliporfin VTP. Following treatment, the tumor demonstrated changes that enabled the patient to undergo a successful pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) which was not previously considered feasible in this case. 'Dosing the first patient in this trial is an important milestone for ImPact and the clinical advancement of Padeliporfin VTP as we seek to extend promising observations from ENLIGHTED, our ongoing pivotal study in low-grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma, into patients with locally advanced PDAC,' said Dr. Eyal Morag, Chief Medical Officer of ImPact Biotech. 'PDAC is among the most challenging malignancies to treat, particularly where surgical intervention is not a viable option. The ability to undergo a Whipple procedure following treatment with Padeliporfin VTP, as has occurred with this first patient, underscores the potential of our platform to not only induce meaningful tumor regression but also open the door for curative surgical interventions for previously inoperable disease.' The ongoing Phase 1 trial is a two-part, multicenter, nonrandomized, open-label clinical study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary efficacy of Padeliporfin VTP therapy, as defined by the ability to convert inoperable patients to eligible for resection, in patients with Stage III, locally advanced, unresectable PDAC. The trial is actively enrolling in UCI Irvine Medical Center and City of Hope Medical Center. Dr. Nadine Abi-Jaoudeh, Principal Investigator at UCI Irvine Medical Center, added: 'We are absolutely thrilled by this outcome. To see an inoperable patient undergo a successful pancreaticoduodenectomy after a single treatment is truly extraordinary. This result gives us renewed hope that Padeliporfin VTP may fundamentally change the treatment landscape for pancreatic cancer patients.' As in UTUC, Padeliporfin VTP treatment in PDAC involves the intravenous administration of a photosensitizing agent, Padeliporfin, followed by targeted activation using non-thermal laser light delivered via optical fibers directly to the tumor site. This approach aims to selectively ablate tumor tissue while preserving surrounding healthy structures. Enrollment in the study is ongoing, and the Company expects preliminary data from the study in the second half of 2025. About PDACPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 10% - the lowest among all solid tumors. At diagnosis, only about 20% of patients have resectable or borderline resectable disease, while the remaining 80% present with unresectable tumors that are either locally advanced or have distant metastases. Patients with unresectable tumors have limited therapeutic options and while prognoses have improved significantly in the last decade, only about 5% of patients will survive for 10 years or more following diagnosis. Therapeutic options for treatable patients remain limited and underscore significant unmet need for innovative treatments that can improve survival and quality of life. About ImPact BiotechImPact Biotech is an advanced clinical-stage oncology company focused on the development and commercialization of Padeliporfin Vascular Targeted Photodynamic (VTP) therapy, a minimally invasive drug-device combination for selective ablation of unresectable solid tumors. The novel VTP platform delivers non-thermal laser light via optical fibers to locally activate Padeliporfin in the tumor microenvironment. Padeliporfin VTP is currently being evaluated in a pivotal Phase 3 study in low-grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and Phase 1 study in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with earlier stage studies ongoing or planned in high-grade UTUC and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The Company has longstanding collaborations with the Weizmann Institute of Science and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and operations in the EU, Israel and the US. For more on ImPact Biotech Ltd., visit: and the ENLIGHTED clinical trial website (for the US): Contacts Guy SchmidtGlobal Head of Business Precision AQJohn in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Cision Canada
03-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Experimental Drug Development Centre Announces the Presentation of Updated Data from the Phase 1 Study of Antibody-Drug Conjugate EBC-129 at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
EBC-129 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that selectively targets a novel, tumour-specific N-glycosylated epitope found on both CEACAM5 and CEACAM6. The expansion cohort for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in the ongoing Phase 1 trial has completed enrolment. Notably, 82% of patients had tumours expressing the antigen at levels considered treatable with EBC-129. EBC-129 demonstrated positive overall response rates and prolonged progression-free survival in PDAC patients that have been heavily pre-treated, including those that have received prior treatment with standard of care (SoC) typically containing taxanes. The US FDA also recently granted Fast Track Designation for EBC-129 in the treatment of PDAC patients. SINGAPORE, June 3, 2025 /CNW/ -- The Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore's national platform for drug discovery and development, has announced the presentation of updated clinical data for the ongoing Phase 1 trial for EBC-129 at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago. EBC-129 is a first-in-class antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targeting a novel, tumour-specific N256-glycosylated epitope on CEACAM5 and CEACAM6. The updated findings showed promising efficacy data from 21 heavily pre-treated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients across the dose escalation and the dose expansion portions of the Phase 1 study. Patients received EBC-129 at doses between 1.8 and 2.2 mg/kg, given once every 3 weeks. 17 out of 21 patients (81%) of the patients had received prior treatment with taxanes. 82% of patients had tumours which expressed the EBC-129 antigen at ≥1% at 3+ intensity and were therefore considered treatable. The overall response rates (ORRs) were 25% and 20%, with disease control rates (DCRs) of 87.5% and 63.6% and progression-free survival (PFS) of 19 and 12 weeks for 1.8 mg/kg and 2.2 mg/kg, respectively. "Pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains one of the most challenging cancers to treat, particularly in the metastatic setting where resistance to standard therapies is common. The clinical signals observed with EBC-129 in refractory pancreatic adenocarcinoma, including tolerability, prolonged disease control and a confirmed response in a heavily pre-treated patient, are encouraging and clinically meaningful. Continued prioritisation of biology-guided trials targeting EBC-129 will be key to sustaining momentum in this important therapeutic effort," said Assistant Professor Robert W. Lentz, MD, Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine. This presentation follows the recent Fast Track Designation granted by the U.S. FDA for EBC-129 in the treatment of PDAC patients. This designation supports EDDC's efforts to accelerate the advancement of the programme through increased regulatory engagement and the potential for expedited review pathways. Other Results to Date The dose escalation study of the Phase 1 trial was open to all patients, while the ongoing dose expansion study comprises of three cohorts in PDAC, gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) and tumour-agnostic patients with other immunohistochemistry (IHC)-positive solid tumours. Recruitment for the GEA and IHC-positive cohorts is still ongoing. EBC-129 showed a manageable safety profile in the 58 patients treated so far, with uncomplicated neutropenia and infusion-related reactions as the main treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) observed. The EBC-129 antigen was also found to be highly expressed, with 52% to 100% of tumour tissues assessed during the trial showing moderate to high expression levels of ≥20% at 2+ and/or 3+. This included samples from gastroesophageal, appendiceal, colorectal and lung cancer patients, making EBC-129 a potentially viable treatment option for these cancers. "We have seen encouraging signs of efficacy of EBC-129 as a single-agent therapy, even in heavily pre-treated patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. This, combined with the observed safety profile, underscores the promise of EBC-129 as a possible treatment option for PDAC patients. As a first-in-class ADC that targets both CEACAM5 and CEACAM6, EBC-129 has also shown potential against a range of other solid tumours, and we look forward to expanding clinical evaluations with the ongoing dose expansion cohorts and accelerating the development of EBC-129 to address critical unmet needs in cancer," said Professor Damian O'Connell, CEO of EDDC. About EBC-129 EBC-129 is an ADC that targets a tumour-specific N256-glycosylation site conserved on CEACAM5 and CEACAM6. CEACAM5 and CEACAM6 are known to have functional importance in tumour formation, migration and metastasis. In the ongoing trial, the tumour-specific marker is found to be widely expressed in multiple solid tumour types, including gastric, oesophageal, pancreatic, lung, colorectal, and appendiceal cancers, based on an analytically validated immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. The payload used in EBC-129 is monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), which has been extensively tested and approved for clinical use in other marketed ADCs, and has demonstrated synergy with PD-1 inhibitors. The ongoing Phase 1 trial of EBC-129 is assessing the safety and tolerability of EBC-129 as a single agent and in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumours. Enrolment for the PDAC cohort in the Phase 1 dose expansion study is now complete, while recruitment continues for the gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) and IHC-positive cohorts. About the Experimental Drug Development Centre The Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC) is Singapore's national platform for drug discovery and development, formed from the integration of the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC), Drug Discovery and Development (D3), and Experimental Biotherapeutics Centre (EBC) in 2019. EDDC aims to develop therapeutics and diagnostics that save and improve the lives of patients in Singapore, Asia and around the world. Hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), EDDC works collaboratively with public sector and industry partners to translate the great science arising from Singapore's biomedical and clinical sciences R&D into innovative healthcare solutions. For more information about EDDC, please visit
