In a major step forward for cancer treatment, Israeli and Japanese researchers have created a highly targeted inhibitor for an enzyme that plays a critical role in helping cancer grow and spread. The findings offer new hope to patients battling aggressive forms of cancer, particularly in the pancreas.

The research, a collaborative effort involving the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Weizmann Institute of Science, and the University of Tokyo, represents a major breakthrough in targeting an enzyme called Matrix Metallopeptidase 7 (MMP7) which facilitates the invasion of cancer cells into surrounding tissues.