Durham Mayor Proclaims November 2021 Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, Local Researchers Push Forward with Treatment for Related Disease

DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of the local strides being made in the fight against pancreatic diseases, Mayor Steve Schewel has designated November 2021 as Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in Durham, North Carolina. Local researchers at Lamassu Pharma, LLC are currently preparing for clinical trials of a new therapeutic for severe acute pancreatitis, a disease that could lead to pancreatic cancer.

Each year, an estimated 1,551 North Carolinians are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and 1,348 die of the disease, which is also the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in both North Carolina and the United States. Chronic pancreatitis is linked to long-term alcohol consumption and smoking, and those with repeated incidents of acute pancreatitis face an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer at a rate two to three times higher than the general population. Nearly 30 percent of pancreatic cancer cases are believed to be preventable.

"Currently, there is no therapeutic cure for pancreatitis or for pancreatic cancer," said Dr. Gabi Hanna, CEO of Lamassu Pharma, LLC, and developer of RABI-767, a new therapeutic aimed at providing a cure for severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). On its own, SAP results in the hospitalization of more than 220,000 Americans each year, and kills up to 20,000. "Part of finding a cure and making it available lies with creating awareness and generating support for the research. Mayor Schewel's proclamation will help us to gain visibility for this critical research and allow us to do the important work of finding a cure that helps our neighbors in Durham, broader North Carolina, and across the United States."

RABI-767 is being developed at an accelerated rate thanks to the application of rigorous translational research methods. So far, the therapeutic has successfully completed pre-clinical requirements for an Investigational New Drug (IND) submission and to start clinical trials, a process which can take 3.5 years on average, but can last up to six years.

"Our mission is to help patients by bringing viable treatments to market as fast as possible and that's what we're doing with RABI-767," said Hanna. "Our work with severe acute pancreatitis will in turn potentially open doors to additional research and treatment methods for other types of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, and helping us save thousands of people from unnecessary suffering."

About Lamassu Pharma, LLC
Founded in 2018, Lamassu Pharma leverages innovative and insightful technology to advance and accelerate early drug development and support collaborations between academia and industry to bring the best scientific solutions to market. Our talented team of physicians, engineers and translational scientists applies its expertise to translate the knowledge of medical research products in Phase I/II clinical trials and partners with clinical and commercial development specialists to advance clinical trials through the approval pipeline. Our innovative model ensures that early development efforts bring products to definitive clinical testing as efficiently as possible to benefit patients, while safeguarding safety and investments. Learn more at lamassupharma.com.

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SOURCE Lamassu Pharma