Breaking down pancreatic tumor stroma to help drugs reach cancer cells
Stromal targeting to improve the efficacy of systemically administered drugs for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas
A tiny implant placed into a pancreatic tumor slowly releases an enzyme to break up the dense tissue around the cancer so chemotherapy and immune cells can get in for people with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180481 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project develops a small implant that delivers hyaluronidase, an enzyme that digests the dense stromal tissue that surrounds many pancreatic tumors. Researchers will use computer and tissue models to design implants that spread the enzyme evenly through removed human tumor samples. Medical imaging will be used to see how stromal breakdown changes tumor blood flow and how much drug reaches the tumor. The work combines studies on human tumor tissue, modeling, and imaging to reduce systemic side effects while improving local drug delivery.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, especially those with tumors characterized by dense desmoplastic stroma and who are candidates for local tumor intervention or tissue donation, are the most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients with widely metastatic disease, tumors that cannot be reached for local implant placement, or cancers lacking dense stromal tissue are less likely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could increase how much chemotherapy and immune cells reach pancreatic tumors and improve treatment effectiveness with fewer systemic side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Systemic stromal-targeting with hyaluronidase has shown mixed promise but was limited by off-target toxicities, so local controlled-release is a newer approach with limited clinical testing to date.
Where this research is happening
West Lafayette, United States
- Purdue University — West Lafayette, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Solorio, Luis — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Solorio, Luis
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 below.