Research Project
9356760
Prognosis for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (PDAC) are dismal and remained unchanged for decades. There is an urgent need to develop new efficacious therapeutic strategies. IL-13RA2, a receptor present in PDAC cells but not in the normal tissue is a highly promising molecular target. The basic premise of the approach proposed here is a selective delivery of effective radiation dose to the tumor site using IL-13RA2-specific ligand. In phase 1, we propose to develop radioligand that selectively binds IL-13RA2 receptor in PDAC and to assess its properties in vitro and in vivo. Two objectives are proposed: 1) To develop radiolabeled ligand that selectively binds IL-13RA2 receptor and to determine its binding affinity, specificity, and stability; 2) To determine pharmacokinetic and biodistribution of the radioligand in clinically relevant model of PDAC. The long-term objective of this proposal is to develop and commercialize radioconjugates of our design that will act as potent and efficacious therapeutic agents in PDAC patients by delivering effective dose of radiation to primary and metastatic tumors.
