Nikhil 3/6/2026
Scientists have recently achieved the complete eradication of one of the most common forms of pancreatic cancer. Dr. Mariano Barbacid and his team targeted Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which has a brutal five year survival rate of below 10%. In the last few weeks, studies report that several tests on mice have shown spectacular results by permanently removing tumors instead of temporarily shrinking them. These mice’s tumors were gone for over 200 days, a significant percentage of a mouse’s lifespan, which is unlike typical cancer results. Using a triple-drug combination, this success was well tolerated by the animals, since as compared to standard chemotherapy, this eradication showed “unusually low toxicity”.
This remarkable therapy works as it simultaneously blocks three molecular pathways known as the “engine”, the “escape route”, and the “backup system”. The primary driver of growth in 90% of pancreatic cancers, which is notoriously hard to “turn off”, is first tackled by the drug, Daraxonrasib, which acts as a selective inhibitor for the KRAS gene. Following this, to prevent the cancer from adapting, Afatinib, a second drug, shuts down the EGFR and HER2 pathways, which tumors usually use as an alternate detour to bypass active treatment. Finally, an experimental protein degrader, SD36, disables the STAT3 system responsible for stress-response, which helps cancer cells survive under harsh conditions.
Amazingly, the team achieved full regression on not just one type of subject, but three different models, which included genetically engineered mice and human tumor samples grown in the lab. In a specific trial, 16 of 18 mice saw their tumors disappear entirely without any signs of resistance. Studies following deep analysis of the mice’s pancreases concluded that there were no traces of tumor tissue, or even the protective scarring that generally causes pancreatic cancer to be extremely difficult to penetrate.
Even though the results are unprecedented, Dr. Barbacid has mentioned that this therapy is not yet ready for human trials, as the drug combination should first be tweaked and optimized for human biology. A big achievement is the provisional nature of SD36, which is currently not widely available or tested compared to the other couple of drugs mentioned previously. This success in mice stands as a proof of concept that challenges the medical belief that advanced pancreatic cancer is inherently incurable, making it a true, long-waited breakthrough.