Today I am thrilled to announce the launch of our next landmark research investment, PASS-01: a clinical trial that will finally address the diverse nature of this disease and provide personalized treatment options for advanced pancreatic cancer patients.

For over 40 years there has been a “one size fits all” approach to pancreatic cancer treatment that has kept the survival rate in the single digits. The lack of effective treatment options has been a devastating reality for all patients, but especially for the roughly 80% diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer. When I talk to these patients and their loved ones I hear one thing consistently: they want more time.

Led by women scientists at the top of their field, PASS-01 is a collaborative effort that draws on the expertise of the most prestigious cancer research centres in Canada and the US to advance personalized medicine for pancreatic cancer patients. Using next-generation organoid technology, researchers will be able to efficiently test multiple treatments on a patient’s cancer cells to see which treatment would be most effective, ultimately giving patients the best chance at a longer life.

PASS-01 is yet another example of the impact of Pancreatic Cancer Canada’s past research investments. By studying potential biomarkers and disease subtypes identified by the ground-breaking COMPASS trial, PASS-01 is poised to succeed where other trials have failed, basing treatment decisions on the nuanced genomic information that varies from patient to patient.

PASS-01 is the second clinical trial Pancreatic Cancer Canada has launched in the last year – all in the middle of a global pandemic – because pancreatic cancer patients do not have time to wait. I invite you to learn more about PASS-01 and consider making a donation today. With your help we will raise the rate of pancreatic cancer survival.

To read the full press release click here.