MELBOURNE, Australia, August 12, 2026
Propanc Biopharma, Inc. highlighted the potential of its investigational proenzyme therapy PRP as a differentiated approach to treating aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The company is developing PRP as a weekly intravenous therapy designed to target cancer biology through cellular differentiation, reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and suppression of cancer stem cell characteristics, rather than directly inhibiting oncogenic signaling pathways. Propanc compared its approach with RAS-targeted strategies being developed by Revolution Medicines and Erasca, arguing that PRP could address biological processes associated with tumor invasion, metastasis and recurrence that may remain after pathway inhibition. Propanc plans to advance PRP toward a Phase 1b first-in-human study in patients with advanced solid tumors, with a focus on PDAC and other cancers associated with high unmet medical need.
PRP Uses Proenzyme-Driven Cancer Cell Differentiation
PRP is a proprietary fixed-ratio combination of the pancreatic proenzymes trypsinogen and chymotrypsinogen. According to Propanc, the therapy is designed to promote differentiation of malignant cells toward a more normal phenotype and reverse biological characteristics associated with aggressive cancer. Preclinical studies have indicated effects on EMT, cancer stem cell properties, metastasis and tumor microenvironment support, while the company also reported enhanced cell adhesion and activation of natural cell-death pathways. In orthotopic and patient-derived xenograft models of advanced PDAC, Propanc reported more than 90% mean tumor growth inhibition, reductions in liver and peritoneal metastatic burden, and more than a 2.5-fold extension in median overall survival compared with controls. PRP has also demonstrated potential to resensitize chemotherapy-resistant PDAC cells to agents such as gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. These findings are preclinical and require confirmation in controlled human clinical trials.
Propanc Contrasts PRP With RAS-Targeted Therapies
Propanc’s comparison highlights a fundamental difference between PRP and RAS/MAPK-targeted approaches. Revolution Medicines is developing RAS(ON) inhibitors designed to interfere with active RAS signaling, while Erasca is pursuing approaches that target multiple components of the RAS/MAPK pathway, including direct RAS targeting and pathway clamping. These approaches are intended to suppress signaling that drives tumor growth in RAS-altered cancers. PRP, by contrast, is not designed around a specific RAS mutation. Propanc believes its differentiation-based mechanism could potentially address cancer stem cells and the mesenchymal phenotype that contribute to invasion, recurrence and treatment resistance. The company therefore views PRP as potentially complementary to targeted therapies rather than simply another RAS inhibitor. However, claims that PRP could provide superior durability or become a “therapy of choice” remain hypotheses that have not yet been demonstrated in prospective clinical trials.
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PRP Moves Toward Phase 1b Development in Advanced Cancer
The next major milestone for Propanc Biopharma is the transition of PRP from translational and preclinical development into human clinical testing. The company expects to file a clinical trial application for a Phase 1b study in Q4 2026, with plans to evaluate PRP in approximately 40–45 patients with advanced solid tumors, particularly PDAC and other high-unmet-need cancers. PRP has received FDA Orphan Drug Designation for pancreatic cancer, while Propanc said GMP manufacturing and clinical development partnerships are progressing. The company is proposing PRP as a potential long-term or combination treatment that could be used alongside chemotherapy or emerging RAS-targeted therapies. Ultimately, the clinical program will need to establish an acceptable safety profile, determine appropriate dosing and demonstrate whether the biological effects observed in preclinical models translate into meaningful tumor control, progression-free survival or overall survival benefits in patients.
Source:Propanc Biopharma,press release
