HSP70: a targeted therapy approach for pancreatic cancer
Official title: HSP70 as an actionable cancer-specific target
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11432388 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new treatment approach aims to disable a cancer-specific protein, potentially helping people with pancreatic cancer who have limited options.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $531,584 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA316572-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11432388 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients whose cancer expresses high levels of HSP70 and who could participate in future clinical studies or receive related biomarker-driven therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not overexpress HSP70 or who cannot tolerate the experimental therapy may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on a protein called HSP70 that is unusually common in pancreatic cancer cells but rare in normal cells. Researchers will use animal models and biopsy samples to test a small-molecule inhibitor that targets HSP70, aiming to disrupt the cancer cells’ survival mechanisms. The work includes attaching the inhibitor to a mitochondrial-targeting component to disrupt energy production in tumor cells. If successful, this could lead to a more effective therapy for PDAC and guide future clinical trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma could have a new treatment option that targets a cancer-specific weakness.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown HSP70 is linked to poor outcomes in PDAC and that targeted inhibitors can affect cancer cell survival in preclinical models.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barnoud, Thibaut — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Barnoud, Thibaut
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.