Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) have a median survival of less than six months from diagnosis. Palliative chemotherapy with the current standard gemcitabine does only marginally improve patients' survival.

Scientists from Leipzig University have recently demonstrated that Heparanase expression levels in PDA patients is well corellated with survival and with patients response to gemcitabine. In an independent study, using InSight's commercially available anti-heparanase monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) the researchers have analyzed 58 patients with inoperable PDA that were treated with gemcitabine therapy for their Heparanase expression levels. Heparanase expression was detectable in more than 60% of patients, while overall survival time was significantly longer in Heparanase-negative tumors (13.3 months in patients with low Heparanase levels as compared to 7.4 months in the Heparanase-expressing tumors).

The scientists conclude that Heparanase expression may be useful as a prognostic marker to focus current standard therapy with gemcitabine on patients that are most likely to benefit, namely patients baring tumors that do not express Heparanase. For patients with Heparanase-positive tumors new targeted therapies are worth pursuing.

InSight’s strategy is to enhance Heparanase research by selling our innovative products, which are strongly patent-protected, as reagents for research. We are very glad that our anti-Heparanase Mabs have been demonstrated to have promising potential for clinical diagnostics and to reduce unnecessary patients' suffering.

InSight has developed different anti-Heparanase antibodies for diagnostics and therapeutic applications. The Rehovot, Israel-based Company is developing different Heparanase-based biopharmaceuticals and biogenerics.