A virus-based therapy targeting pancreatic cancer
Official title: Advanced Oncolytic Adenovirus Enabling Systemic Therapy of PDAC
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11233150 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops redesigned cancer-killing adenoviruses that can be given through the bloodstream to treat people with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | December 12, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $354,563 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276480-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11233150 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who are not candidates for curative surgery would be the intended candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with early-stage, resectable pancreatic cancer or with unrelated non-pancreatic conditions are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
The team is creating new versions of an engineered adenovirus that can be delivered systemically to reach metastatic pancreatic tumors. They are modifying viral surface components so the virus avoids normal organs, escapes neutralizing antibodies, and preferentially binds a tumor protein called mesothelin. Multiple candidate viruses will be made and tested in laboratory and preclinical models to find ones that reach tumors and spare healthy tissue. The work is focused on enabling an intravenous option for patients with advanced or metastatic PDAC.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable an intravenous virus-based treatment that reaches metastatic pancreatic tumors and may improve outcomes for patients with advanced PDAC.
How similar studies have gone: Some oncolytic virus therapies have shown benefit in other cancers (for example T-VEC in melanoma), but systemic adenovirus therapy for pancreatic cancer remains largely experimental and unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yamamoto, Masato — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Yamamoto, Masato
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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-
Neoantigen vaccines in pancreatic cancer: overcoming resistance to improve immune responses
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Targeting autophagy to treat KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer
This grant explores using approved drugs to block autophagy in KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer to improve treatment outcomes.
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Reprogramming PDAC stroma by targeting blood clotting in the tumor environment
A cancer research grant aimed at turning the tough, fibrous pancreatic cancer environment into one that helps treatments work better and supports the body’s immune response.
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Understanding paracrine signals in pancreatic cancer to improve drug delivery
A patient-focused look at how the tumor’s signaling networks affect treatment delivery in pancreatic cancer and how targeting these networks could help therapies reach tumors more effectively.
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.