Pancreatic cancer halted by virus injection in three patients
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- Masato Yamamoto led the development of a genetically engineered adenovirus that replicates only inside tumor cells, activated by COX‑2.
- Three patients with localized pancreatic tumors received a low dose (one‑tenth of the target) of the virus, and their disease remained clinically stable without tumor growth.
- The trial will now enroll 15 additional patients to receive higher virus doses and identify the optimal therapeutic level.
- Kai Brown cautioned that the early results lack a control group and should be viewed as hypothesis‑generating.
- The virus is injected directly into the tumor through a thin tube.
Why it matters: Pancreatic cancer patients gain a novel, tumor‑targeted therapy that halts tumor growth, while biotech firms eye a market worth billions; successful larger trials shift treatment standards and attract funding.
