Therapeutics: Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9)

Patient sample and mouse studies suggest TLR9 inhibitors could help treat pancreatic cancer. TLR9 levels were higher in tumor samples from patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) than in normal pancreatic tissue from healthy controls. In a transgenic mouse model of oncogenic K-Ras (KRAS)-driven pancreatic cancer, TLR9 knockout decreased tumor growth and increased survival compared with normal TRL9 expression. Next steps could include testing TRL9 inhibitors in models of pancreatic cancer.

Dynavax Technologies Corp. has DV1179, an inhibitor of TLR9 and TLR7, in Phase I testing to treat lupus, autoimmune disease and inflammation...