Grantee: David S. Hong, MD

Institution: MD Anderson Cancer Center
Project Title: Src Kinase Inhibition with BMS-354825 in Pancreatic Cancer Models
Award: 2004 Samuel Stroum – Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – ASCO Young Investigator Award
Award Period: July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005
Amount: $35,000
Click here to download Dr. Hong’s Grant Snapshot (pdf)

Biographical Highlights
Dr. Hong joined University of Texas MD Anderson in 2005. He received his MD from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, in the Bronx, New York and served as an intern and resident at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Dr. Hong completed a fellowship in medical oncology at MD Anderson, where he was appointed Chief Medical Oncology Fellow. His research interests include phase I studies, drug development, the molecular basis for cancer clinical interest therapy, biologic molecules, and novel protocol designs. Dr. Hong has received numerous awards including the Amgen Young Investigator Award, the Jesse H. Jones Award and the Goodwin Funding Award.

Project Description
Src kinase is an enzyme that may contribute to the ability of pancreatic cancer cells to metastasize or spread. BMS-354825 is an experimental compound that inhibits Src kinase. In preliminary research, Dr. Hong's found that BMS-354825 inhibits Src kinase in pancreatic cancer cells in the laboratory. The inhibition of Src kinase inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in these cells. VEGF contributes to the ability of cancer cells to form new blood vessels and create a blood supply for the tumor. Dr. Hong hypothesized that BMS-354825 may be an effective treatment for pancreatic cancer. The funded project test this hypothesis by determining if BMS-354825 kills isolated pancreatic cancer cells in the lab. Then, BMS-354825 is combined with gemcitabine to determine if the two compounds together kill the isolated pancreatic cancer cells. Lastly, the anti-tumor activity of BMS-354825 is evaluated alone and with gemcitabine in mice with pancreatic cancer.