Pancreatic cancer is tricky to manage because it spreads easily and early, and the tumors have a unique biological makeup. But, researchers made a breakthrough recently by learning about the genetic changes that occur during tumor migration — and also found a drug that can obstruct the process. The next step is a ground-breaking clinical trial at the University of Rochester’s Wilmot Cancer Institute, planned for early in 2024, to test the drug from their laboratory discovery, said senior investigator Darren Carpizo, MD, PhD, Co-Leader of Wilmot’s Genetics, Epigenetics and Metabolism Research Program, and Chief of Surgical Oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "We will be the first institution in the U.S. to study the safety and effectiveness of the experimental drug, known as NP137, on pancreatic cancer that has spread to the liver,” Dr. Carpizo said.