Stanford Cancer Institute shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Congratulations to Stanford Cancer Institute members Steven Corsello, MD, and Nathanael Gray, PhD, on receiving The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research’s 2026 Drug Discovery Award.
Their project, “TRIM21 E3 Ligase Reprogramming for Cancer Therapy,” aims to develop a first-in-class treatment for pancreatic cancer by targeting specific proteins in cancer cells. This work is especially exciting because pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers, with very few effective therapies available.
The project will leverage molecular glue degraders, a class of compounds that engage E3 ligases to induce cancer cell death. By targeting TRIM21, a protein found in several solid tumors, the team hopes to develop a strategy that can selectively destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. This approach could represent a major step forward in treating pancreatic cancer, and potentially other cancers that express TRIM21.
Through extensive research, including structure-guided chemistry and testing in lab models, the team plans to optimize these compounds and assess their safety and effectiveness. If successful, this could provide new, much-needed options for patients facing pancreatic cancer, which has a median survival of less than one year for advanced stages.”
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