Blocking cancer's iron supply to help pancreatic cancer drugs work better
Official title: Targeting iron metabolism in pancreatic adenocarcinoma to overcome KRAS inhibitor therapeutic resistance
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11311368 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether stopping pancreatic cancer cells from using stored iron can help people with KRAS-mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma respond longer to new KRAS-targeting drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | April 2, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $512,884 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA301542-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11311368 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma whose tumors have KRAS mutations and who are eligible for or receiving KRAS-targeted therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer or those with tumor types unrelated to the studied iron-autophagy pathway are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are studying how pancreatic tumors use a process called ferritinophagy to release iron and survive treatment with KRAS-targeting drugs. They will use lab-grown cancer cells, animal models, and analysis of tumor samples to map how iron and autophagy drive drug resistance. The team will then test combinations of KRAS inhibitors with treatments that block iron metabolism to find approaches that stop or delay resistance. Promising combinations would be candidates for future clinical testing in patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make KRAS-targeting treatments work for longer and potentially improve outcomes for people with KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Early clinical trials of KRAS inhibitors have shown activity in pancreatic cancer but resistance is common, and targeting iron metabolism is a newer, mostly preclinical approach with encouraging laboratory data but not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mancias, Joseph D — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Mancias, Joseph D
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
PASSCODE: Coordinating and Sharing PDAC stromal research data
A networked effort at NYU School of Medicine aims to study how the pancreatic cancer stroma shapes tumor growth and patient outcomes, by coordinating researchers, sharing data, and educating the field.
-
Oncostatin M Receptor in Pancreatic Cancer
Aims to understand how a molecule called Oncostatin M and its receptor affect pancreatic cancer to find new ways to help patients.
-
Total Neoadjuvant Therapy for Borderline or Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
A multi-part treatment approach tests giving all chemotherapy and targeted radiotherapy before surgery to help patients with tough-to-remove pancreatic cancer become eligible for curative surgery.
-
Low-dose, motion-aware MRI to study pancreatic cancer
A new MRI method using low-dose contrast and motion-resolved imaging is being explored to better characterize pancreatic cancer in patients.
-
SOAT1 as a target in pancreatic cancer
Researchers are studying a specific enzyme, SOAT1, to see if blocking it can slow down or stop pancreatic cancer progression in models that mimic human disease.
-
Turning inflammatory scar cells in the pancreas into helpers to improve treatment response
This project will try to change inflammatory, scar-forming cells around pancreatic tumors so treatments and the immune system can work better for people with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
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.