M402, a heparan sulfate mimetic and novel candidate for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

4056 Background: Recent advances in pancreatic cancer research implicate the involvement of several heparin-binding growth factors (such as HGF, HB-EGF, PDGF, hedgehogs, and TGFs) that control tumor-stroma interactions. We have rationally designed a heparan sulfate mimetic, M402, which has been previously shown to affect tumor progression and metastasis through disruption of multiple pathways. We hypothesized that M402 could modulate tumor-stroma interactions and enhance the efficacy of gemcitabine, and evaluated its efficacy in two preclinical models. Methods: A genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM; KrasLSLG12D p53LSLR172H) featuring spontaneous pancreatic tumor formation and metastasis assessed M402’s effect on tumorigenesis and metastasis. The orthotopic Capan-2 model in nude mice evaluated the effect of M402 on desmoplasia, a fibrotic response that hinders effective delivery of chemotherapeutics, via inhibition of sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling in fibroblasts and stellate cells. In both models, M4...