A preclinical study published ha demonstrated how AI-assisted screening can unlock challenging cancer targets, with Mayo Clinic researchers identifying a GIPC1 inhibitor that slows tumour growth and potentiates gemcitabine activity in pancreatic cancer models.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic have used artificial intelligence (AI) to help develop an experimental drug targeting a protein involved in cancer growth and treatment resistance.
The drug is designed to target the PDZ domain of GIPC1, a protein that supports the growth of several cancers, including pancreatic cancer, and has historically been difficult to target with drugs.
Pancreatic cancer is particularly difficult to treat, partly because it can develop resistance to multiple therapies and is often diagnosed at an advanced stage after it has already spread. Researchers are therefore exploring new treatment strategies that could improve outcomes and overcome therapeutic resistance.
The findings from this study outline how AI could help researchers identify small molecule inhibitors for challenging cancer targets and potentially accelerate the development of new treatments.
AI screens thousands of compounds
Working with Sravathi AI Technology for IP Sharing, a company based in Bangalore, India, the Mayo Clinic team used AI to screen almost 40,000 potential compounds.
The researchers identified a compound capable of blocking GIPC1 and subsequently investigated its effects in laboratory studies.
The experimental drug not only demonstrated an ability to slow tumour growth but also showed early signs of altering the environment surrounding tumours. According to the researchers, these changes could potentially create opportunities for future combination treatments.
“Pancreatic cancer has remained exceptionally difficult to treat because tumours rapidly adapt and become resistant to many available therapies,” says Dr Debabrata (Dev) Mukhopadhyay, a senior author of the study and a cancer researcher at Mayo Clinic in Florida. “Our study demonstrates that AI can help us identify entirely new therapeutic opportunities against targets that have historically been considered undruggable. While these findings are preclinical, they provide a strong foundation for the next phase of research.”
Findings remain preclinical
The researchers emphasise that the therapy remains experimental and has not yet been tested in people. Further research will be required to assess its safety and determine whether it could eventually progress to clinical trials.
The findings also suggest that targeting GIPC1 could potentially complement existing chemotherapy. In the laboratory studies, combining the experimental drug with gemcitabine produced greater effects than the experimental treatment alone.
However, additional studies will be needed to establish whether these results can be replicated in further preclinical models and whether the approach can ultimately provide a meaningful benefit for patients.
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