A smart molecule beats the mutation behind most pancreatic cancer.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have developed a candidate drug that could potentially treat pancreatic cancer, a disease that is typically fatal. The drug targets a cancer-causing mutation called K-Ras G12D, which is responsible for almost half of all pancreatic cancer cases, as well as some cases of lung, breast, and colon cancer. The molecule designed by the researchers permanently modifies the mutation, offering a promising new approach to treating pancreatic cancer. Clinical trials for this drug could begin within the next two to three years. [Extracted from the article]