Pancreatic Cancer Drug Development
As the leaders in pancreatic cancer research, the Lustgarten Foundation funds projects at every step in the drug development process.
Drug development is the process of bringing a new treatment to patients either by working with existing drugs in new ways (such as identifying new combinations) or by creating new compounds. We focus on understanding the underlying biology of pancreatic cancer to develop new approaches to safely and specifically target the disease.
The researchers we fund are able to concentrate their efforts on the areas of greatest impact thanks to our two-way communication process. First, researchers efficiently translate discoveries “from bench to bedside,” or taking findings from the lab to patients. Likewise, learnings from the clinic (bedside to bench) are incredibly valuable to scientists as they fine-tune their efforts and concentrate on the areas of greatest impact.
Once complete, the compound or drug combination must first be tested through a clinical study. If it performs well in the study, it will then go through a clinical trial process subject to rigorous review at every phase. Before any new drug can become a recognized treatment option, it must receive FDA approval. The Lustgarten Foundation is working to accelerate the often complex and lengthy process to provide patients with more viable treatment options.
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Tumor Metabolism
A new approach to fighting pancreatic cancer targets cancer metabolism. Changes in how nutrients are metabolized, or broken down for energy, contribute to both the development and progression of pancreatic cancer, and we’re still learning about the complicated relationship between the cancer itself and a patient’s body.
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Epigenetics
Genome catastrophes, a phenomenon by which up to thousands of clustered chromosomal abnormalities occur in a single event, are common in pancreatic cancer. Research is being conducted to identify the underlying causes and potential therapies for treating genome catastrophes to prevent pancreatic tumors from developing.
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Tumor Microenvironment
Pancreatic tumors are surrounded by a dense desmoplastic stroma protecting the tumor and preventing the immune system and many drugs from entering. Studies in the cells, molecules and tissues surrounding pancreatic cancer tumors are driving new strategies to target the stroma, making tumors more vulnerable and helping provide insight in developing targeted therapeutic agents.
