Blocking Perp to slow pancreatic cancer and cancer-related muscle wasting
Official title: Targeting Perp in PDAC tumor and cancer cachexia
Funded at University of North Carolina Charlotte · NIH-11363734 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether lowering a protein called Perp can shrink pancreatic tumors and help people with pancreatic cancer who are losing weight and muscle.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Carolina Charlotte NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlotte, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00CA283277-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11363734 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, particularly those experiencing cancer-associated weight loss or whose tumors show elevated Perp or mutant p53.
✕Less likely to help
People without pancreatic cancer or whose tumors do not have elevated Perp or mutant p53 are unlikely to benefit from this specific approach.
What this research studies
You would be hearing about work focused on a protein called Perp that is higher in many pancreatic tumors and linked to worse outcomes. In mouse models the team found that blocking Perp reduced tumor growth and helped preserve muscle and fat. The researchers will combine lab experiments with analyses of patient tumor data to learn how Perp drives both the cancer and the wasting (cachexia). The goal is to develop ways to block Perp that could eventually lead to new treatments for patients with pancreatic cancer and severe weight loss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, targeting Perp could slow tumor growth and reduce cancer-related muscle and weight loss, improving survival and quality of life for people with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: This is a novel approach: there are encouraging preclinical (mouse and lab) results but no established human therapies targeting Perp and no FDA-approved treatments that reliably reverse cancer cachexia.
Where this research is happening
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University of North Carolina Charlotte
Charlotte, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dasgupta, Aneesha — University of North Carolina Charlotte
- Study coordinator: Dasgupta, Aneesha
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeting Perp in pancreatic cancer and its muscle wasting
This NIH grant explores a gene called Perp as a potential target to slow pancreatic cancer growth and reduce cachexia in patients.
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Targeting a specific protein to improve outcomes in pancreatic cancer and related muscle loss
This study is looking at how a protein called Perp affects pancreatic cancer and the weight loss that often comes with it, hoping to find ways to slow down the cancer and help patients feel better, especially those with a specific gene mutation.
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Mitochondrial pores and muscle loss in cancer cachexia
A small US-based study will explore how changes in mitochondria contribute to muscle wasting in people with cancer cachexia and how this may be slowed.
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CANCAN: A Virtual Institute to Cure Cancer Cachexia
A broad, collaborative NIH initiative aims to uncover why cancer patients lose weight and muscle and to develop new ways to treat this serious condition.
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Spatial metabolism mapping in cancer cachexia tissues
Aims to map where and how metabolism changes in tissues affected by cancer cachexia using advanced imaging technology.
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Nuclear receptors that may stop muscle wasting in cancer
This grant explores whether activating specific muscle-regulating receptors can prevent muscle loss in cancer patients.
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.