Development and Preclinical Applications of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Models

Abstract public domain (NIH RePORTER)

CAPR scientists developed and characterized by histopathologic and biomarker expression analyses two first-in-class patient derived xenograft models for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm and prepared these unmet need models for preclinical evaluation of therapeutic formulations pre-selected in organoid and 3D tissue culture models. These candidate compounds belong to the class of epigenetic modulators and have been demonstrated efficacious as anticancer agents in clinical studies of other tumor types. CAPR Pancreatic Modeling program has completed work on two funded by partners projects supported by FNL Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (cCRADA). In collaboration with a startup venture CAPR scientists evaluated the preclinical signatures and therapeutic efficacy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma models of a novel anti-metabolic formulation with glutathione pathway inhibitory properties (Shen, et al., 2025). The second joint project with a reputable extramural academic laboratory at Wayne State University focused on elucidating anti-cancer mechanisms for a family of compounds acting as inhibitors of de novo purine biosynthesis and their synergistic efficacy as combinations with chemotherapeutic and immuno-oncology formulations