Repurposed Therapeutics in Synergistic Liposomal Formulations for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Treatment

Serala Karabo – Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cape Town; Sharon Prince – Deputy Dean of Research, University of Cape Town; Joshua Reineke – Associate Professor, South Dakota State University

Introduction:

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancer types due to its poor prognosis, with approximately 500,000 new cases and deaths reported each year (1). It is often detected only at later stages due to its non‑specific symptoms. The tumor’s dense desmoplasia and drug resistance frequently limit the effectiveness of anticancer therapies (2). These challenges highlight the need for new drugs and innovative strategies to treat PDAC. Since the development pipeline for new drugs and delivery systems is costly and time‑consuming, we are investigating a repurposed drug that can synergize with existing therapies and be delivered using FDA‑approved systems such as liposomes