New Pancreatic Cancer Trial Tests Implant That Delivers Chemotherapy Directly to Tumors

First-in-Human Study Launches at WVU Cancer Institute

The WVU Cancer Institute is helping lead a global first in pancreatic cancer research with the launch of a first-in-human clinical trial testing a small implant designed to deliver chemotherapy directly into pancreatic tumors.

In an interview with CURE, Dr. Brian Boone, associate professor of surgical oncology at the WVU Department of Surgery and principal investigator of the study, explained how the investigational device could potentially overcome one of the biggest challenges in pancreatic cancer treatment: getting chemotherapy to actually penetrate the tumor.

“One of the challenges in pancreatic cancer is that the tumor itself is very fibrotic,” Boone said. “It has a lot of thick tissue, and that chokes out the blood vessels that go to the tumor. So when chemotherapy is given through an IV, it doesn’t really ever make it to the tumor very well.”

How the Implant Works

The Phase 1 study, initiated by Continuity Biosciences, is evaluating a small implant that is laparoscopically inserted into the pancreas. Patients enrolled in the trial receive gemcitabine, a commonly used chemotherapy drug, delivered directly into the tumor using a process called iontophoresis.

The device works by sending low-voltage electric pulses that help push the chemotherapy into the tumor tissue itself.

“This technology is focused on trying to get more chemotherapy into the tumor,” Boone explained. “The electrical current helps open up the cells and really drive the chemo in to make it more effective.”

Researchers hope the targeted approach may not only improve how much chemotherapy reaches the cancer, but also potentially reduce side effects by limiting exposure to healthy tissue throughout the body.

Why Pancreatic Cancer Is So Difficult to Treat

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat, particularly for patients with locally advanced disease that cannot be surgically removed. According to Boone, about 20% of patients are diagnosed with tumors wrapped around major blood vessels near the pancreas, making surgery impossible even after standard chemotherapy or radiation.

For these patients, the trial represents something many have not had before: another potential option.

“This device gives us hope that we could still try to shrink the tumor off the vessels and potentially make it resectable,” Boone said. “For pancreatic cancer, surgery is really the only chance for a cure.”

What Researchers Hope to Learn

The study includes two cohorts of 12 patients with non-metastatic, locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. WVU Cancer Institute and Michigan Medicine are currently enrolling patients.

Because this is a first-in-human study, researchers are closely evaluating safety while also looking for early signs the technology could improve outcomes.

“We don’t know how much this can shrink the tumor, and that’s what’s exciting to me,” Boone said. “We might be able to see effects that have never been seen with an approach like this.”

Potential Beyond Pancreatic Cancer

Boone also noted that the technology could eventually have applications beyond pancreatic cancer if the approach proves successful.

“I do think it has applications in other tumors,” he said, pointing to cancers located near blood vessels, including certain lung and bile duct cancers. “It’s a very interesting and intriguing way of delivering treatment directly to a tumor.”

The WVU Cancer Institute is currently accepting referrals for the clinical trial, which is listed on ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT07481383.

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