Keio University

Successful Development of an Innovative Nucleic Acid Drug Candidate Effective Against Refractory Breast and Pancreatic Cancer

Publish: April 20, 2021
Public Relations Office

2021/04/20

The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo

Keio University School of Medicine

Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM), Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion

Kanagawa Cancer Center, Kanagawa Prefectural Hospital Organization

Sapporo Medical University

• We have developed a nucleic acid drug candidate consisting of a highly sequence-specific chimeric siRNA targeting the PRDM14 gene, a transcription factor overexpressed in breast and pancreatic cancer, and a Y-shaped block co-polymer (YBC) that delivers nucleic acids to lesions.

• Intravenous administration of this nucleic acid drug candidate to animal models of breast and pancreatic cancer suppressed tumor growth. In distant metastasis models, a reduction in metastatic foci and prolonged survival were also observed.

• The results of this study were published online in the International Journal of Cancer on April 13, 2021. Based on these results, an investigator-initiated clinical trial of this nucleic acid drug candidate was initiated in September 2020.

For the full press release, please see below.

Press Release (PDF)