CytoSolve® Systems Architecture Enabling In Silico Discovery of Multi-Combination Therapeutics for Pancreatic Cancer with MD Anderson Cancer Center

MD Anderson Cancer Center
MD Anderson Cancer Center is a world-leading oncology research and clinical institution dedicated to advancing cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment through translational and clinical research excellence.

Challenge

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is an aggressive and often asymptomatic cancer with limited effective treatment options. The standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agent requires high doses to achieve minimal clinical benefit, frequently resulting in significant toxicity. Identifying effective multi-drug combinations that maximize cancer cell apoptosis while minimizing toxicity traditionally requires 10–15 years of experimental research. A faster, mechanistic, and predictive approach was needed to evaluate drug combinations and guide therapeutic development.

How CytoSolve Helped

CytoSolve, Inc. applied its molecular systems architecture to construct integrative mathematical models of key pancreatic cancer signaling pathways, including EGFR-driven cell cycle progression and apoptosis. These models captured the complex molecular interactions governing cancer cell proliferation and programmed cell death.

Using its in silico platform, CytoSolve evaluated individual and combination effects of FDA-approved chemotherapeutic agents to identify combinations that maximized apoptotic response while suppressing tumor growth at reduced dosages. This computational approach enabled rapid exploration of therapeutic space, dramatically shortening the discovery timeline. CytoSolve also extended its systems architecture to evaluate individual and combined effects of active ingredients derived from nutraceuticals, further demonstrating platform scalability.

Key Benefits Realized

  • Systems-level modeling of pancreatic cancer signaling and apoptosis pathways
  • Rapid in silico identification of optimal drug combinations
  • Reduced dependence on lengthy and costly trial-and-error experimentation
  • Discovery of Cyto-001, a novel combination of FDA-approved chemotherapeutic agents
  • Extension of the platform to evaluate nutraceutical-derived active ingredients
  • Accelerated translational pathway from computational discovery to clinical testing

Outcome

CytoSolve’s in silico discovery led to the development of Cyto-001, a novel multi-combination therapeutic approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for further clinical trials. This breakthrough resulted in the formation of a joint venture with MD Anderson Cancer Center to evaluate the combination as a second-line treatment for metastatic, gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer and as a potential first-line alternative for advanced disease. The case study exemplifies how CytoSolve’s systems architecture can transform oncology drug discovery by delivering clinically actionable insights with unprecedented speed and precision.