A new targeted drug for mutant KRas pancreatic cancer using a monobody delivery system
Official title: A novel monobody-drug conjugate to treat mutant KRas pancreatic cancer.
Funded at Tezcat Biosciences, INC. · NIH-11398106 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small company is testing a novel antibody-like protein that can deliver a toxic drug to pancreatic cancers driven by mutant KRas, aiming to improve outcomes for patients with this hard-to-treat cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tezcat Biosciences, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $928,698 |
| NIH project number | 5R44CA265512-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398106 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with pancreatic cancer characterized by mutant KRas that could potentially respond to targeted macropinocytosis-based delivery.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not rely on macropinocytosis or do not express the target pathway may not benefit.
What this research studies
Tezcat Biosciences is developing a new intracellular delivery method that uses a monobody to carry an approved toxin directly into cancer cells with mutant KRas. The project focuses on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a disease with very limited effective treatments. They plan to validate analytical tests and conduct survival studies in models that resemble human tumors, including patient-derived samples. The work builds on prior Phase I results showing tumor activity with minimal systemic toxicity in relevant models.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a more effective and targeted treatment option for patients with KRas-driven pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous Phase I results showed tumor activity in models; this Phase II SBIR aims to build on that encouraging evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Tezcat Biosciences, INC.
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramirez, Craig Patrick — Tezcat Biosciences, INC.
- Study coordinator: Ramirez, Craig Patrick
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.