Israeli scientists develop treatment for pancreatic cancer

Try boycotting this, BDS movement: A new treatment developed by Israeli scientists eradicated 90 percent of the pancreatic cancer in mice within two weeks.

Pictured: Prof. Malka Cohen-Armon, left, of Tel Aviv University and Dr. Talia Golan of Sheba Medical Center. Courtesy of Tel- Aviv University

Researchers from Tel Aviv University said they used a small molecule to cause the self-destruction of pancreatic cancer cells in mice. After two weeks of injecting molecule PJ34, the treatment reduced the number of cancer cells by as much as 90 percent, according to the study.

The results were published in the peer-reviewed biomedical journal, Oncotarget.

“This molecule causes an anomaly during mitosis of human cancer cells, provoking rapid cell death,” said Prof. Malka Cohen-Armon who led her team at TAU’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine. “Thus, cell multiplication itself resulted in cell death in the treated cancer cells.”

Cohen-Armon said the molecule does not impact healthy cells, hence “no adverse effects were observed.”

She estimated at least two years until the treatment is released for use, contingent upon funding. The group will test the treatment on pigs and then apply for permission from the Federal Drug Administration to administer humans with this molecule, she said.

“I am optimistic,” Cohen-Armon said.

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the deadliest cancers and most patients live five years or less after a diagnosis.

TAU published the research in collaboration with Dr. Talia Golan’s team at the Cancer Research Center at Sheba Medical Center.