Monobody-delivered chemotherapy for KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer
Official title: A novel monobody-drug conjugate to treat mutant KRas pancreatic cancer.
Funded at Tezcat Laboratories LLC · NIH-11181219 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing TZT-102, a targeted drug that delivers a chemotherapy payload directly into KRAS-mutant pancreatic cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tezcat Laboratories LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,113,257 |
| NIH project number | 2R44CA265512-02A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11181219 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma whose tumors carry KRAS mutations would be the main candidates for this approach.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without KRAS-mutant tumors or whose cancers do not take up drugs by macropinocytosis are unlikely to benefit from this therapy.
What this research studies
You would be hearing about a new lab-grown drug that uses a small protein carrier (a “monobody”) to get chemotherapy inside pancreatic cancer cells that have KRAS mutations. The approach takes advantage of a cell-eating process called macropinocytosis that these tumors use to scavenge nutrients, so the drug is designed to be taken up preferentially by the cancer. Preclinical work showed strong tumor shrinkage in animal models, and the current program focuses on validating measurements and expanding survival studies using patient-derived tumor grafts, including models resistant to standard therapy. This grant is advancing the drug toward the next stages needed before human testing can begin.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could become a new targeted treatment that more effectively kills KRAS-mutant pancreatic tumors while lowering systemic side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Antibody-drug conjugates have worked in some cancers, but using a macropinocytosis-targeting monobody is a newer strategy with encouraging animal data and limited clinical experience so far.
Where this research is happening
-
Tezcat Laboratories LLC
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramirez, Craig Patrick — Tezcat Laboratories LLC
- Study coordinator: Ramirez, Craig Patrick
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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.