New combination therapy for pancreatic cancer in animals
Official title: Development of a new combination therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treatment
Funded at Proda Biotech, LLC · NIH-11409793 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new therapy designed to weaken the tumor’s protective surroundings and boost treatment effects in pancreatic cancer models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Proda Biotech, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Marietta, United States) |
| Project start | September 4, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,139,113 |
| NIH project number | 1R44CA314813-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11409793 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in whom future translation of this approach could be relevant; current stage is preclinical in animals.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with pancreas cancer may not benefit until later-stage human studies are conducted or if the mechanism does not translate to humans.
What this research studies
This grant funds testing a novel protein therapy called ProAgio in animal models of pancreatic cancer to target the tumor’s supportive stromal cells and abnormal blood vessels. The work aims to make existing treatments more effective by removing barriers created by cancer-associated fibroblasts and abnormal vessels. Researchers will study how ProAgio induces cancer cell death and whether it improves delivery of therapies in a preclinical setting. Although the focus is on animals, the findings could guide future approaches that benefit people with pancreatic cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make pancreatic cancer treatments work better by breaking down barriers in the tumor environment.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical studies in similar tumor-stroma targeting approaches have shown promise in improving therapy delivery in pancreatic cancer.
Where this research is happening
-
Proda Biotech, LLC
Marietta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Zhi-Ren — Proda Biotech, LLC
- Study coordinator: Liu, Zhi-Ren
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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.