Testing a surgically placed device to deliver cancer medication directly to the pancreas

This is a first-in-human study testing a new implantable device called the ACT-IOP-003 that delivers the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine directly to pancreatic cancer tumors. Instead of receiving chemotherapy through an IV in your arm (where it circulates throughout your body), this device is surgically placed on or near the tumor to deliver the medication locally. The trial is designed to see if this approach is safe, well-tolerated, and whether it works better than traditional IV chemotherapy.

Standard chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer can cause significant side effects because the medication travels throughout the entire body. By delivering this medication directly to the tumor site using an implanted device, researchers hope to reduce side effects while potentially improving how well the treatment works against the cancer.