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Cycle 2

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Chronic pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, the organ that produces digestive enzymes and insulin. The continued inflammation leads to permanent damage and scarring of the pancreas. This scarring causes digestive problems and eventually leads to diabetes. Chronic pancreatitis patients experience extreme abdominal pain and are at exceptionally high risk for pancreatic cancer.

Last updated 04/30/2026

Clinical

Disease Class

Abdominal surgical diseases

Channelopathies

Diseases due to toxic effects

Endocrine diseases

Gastroenterological diseases

Genetic diseases

Body Systems

Digestive

Endocrine

Organs

Pancreas

Known Genetic Link

Yes, there are both genes that cause the condition and genetic factors that contribute

Causative Genes

PRSS1

Contributory Genes

CASR

CEL

CFTR

CLDN2

CTRC

SPINK1

Type of Inheritance

Autosomal dominant

Not specified / unknown

Newborn Screening

Disease Mechanism(s)

Aberrant immune response

Abnormal channel regulation

Abnormal protein degradation

Autoimmune Disease

Autophagy defect

Extracellular matrix abnormality

Ion channel dysfunction

Other

Protein misfolding

Age of Onset

Adolescence (12-17)

Adulthood (age 18-64)

Early childhood (age 1+-5)

Elderly (age 65+)

Infancy (age 0-1)

Middle childhood (6-11)

Average Age at Diagnosis

Adulthood (age 18-64)

Life Expectancy

Adulthood (age 18-64)

Affected Sex(es)

Female

Intersex

Male

National Prevalence

10000+

Global Prevalence

10000+

National Incidence

11-50

Global Incidence

11-50

Populations and/or ancestry with higher prevalence

Higher average incidence for Black people

Symptoms / Phenotypes

diabetes

diarrhea

fatigue

malnutrition

pain, abdominal

pain, chronic

vomiting / nausea

weight loss

Biomarkers

None

Existing Therapies

Complementary and Alternative treatments

· Diet Modification, Nutritional Supplements (curcumin, Vitamin D, N-Acetyl Cystene), Meditation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Off-Label Drug Use

Regulatory Agency-Approved for Symptom Relief

· Analgesics including opioid pain medicines; Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT; pancrelipase) for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (malabsorption/steatorrhea), e.g., Zenpep / Creon

Regulatory Agency-Approved to Cure or Modify the Disease

· Tryngolza (olezarsen) (only for pancreatitis caused by FCS); Redemplo (plozasiran) (only for pancreatitis caused by FCS)

Therapies in Development

Antibody-based therapy (monoclonal antibodies, biologics)

· 2, TRIV-920, Not disclosed

Cellular therapies (stem cell transplants, CAR-T therapies, etc.)

· 1, Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Dietary & metabolic therapies (medical food, dietary restriction, supplements, etc.)

Gene therapy

· 1, PRSS1 Gene Therapy

Repurposed drug

· 5+, Ivacaftor, Simvastatin, Paricalcitol, Pirfenidone, Tocilizumab

Small molecule therapy (novel small molecule drugs)

· 2, Proglumide, Not disclosed

Surgical & interventional

Therapeutic Development Stages

Approved/Available

In clinical trials (Phase I, II, III, or IV)

In preclinical development

In research/exploratory phase

Therapeutic Development Role

None

Organizational & Research

Cell Lines

None

Cell Lines, Institution

None

Cell Lines, share

N/A

Disease Model

Organoids

Disease Model, Involvement

Consulted

Disease Model, share

Organizational Challenges

Venture philanthropy and other innovative financing models

Clinical Trial Role

Funding

Meeting with regulators

Outcome measures, development

Recruitment and outreach, patients

Recruitment and outreach, trial sites/physicians

Results dissemination, publication

Study material design, review (not protocol)

Study protocol design, review

Clinical Trial Types

Observational

Phase 1

Phase 2

Biobank, Institution

None

Center of Excellence, Institution

Johns Hopkins Hospital

Center of Excellence, Involvement

Consulted

Funded

Registry

No, we do not have a registry and have no plans to create one

Natural History Study

No, we do not have a natural history study, but we plan to create or collaborate on one

FDA Patient Listening Session

Yes

FDA Patient-Focused Drug Development (PFDD) Program

Yes

ICD Codes

We use an ICD-10 code capturing the family of diseases to which our disease belongs

We use an ICD-11 code capturing the family of diseases to which our disease belongs

Diagnostic Guidelines

Yes, we have guidance available on our website

Science Advisory Board Policies

Does not have an SAB

Research Network Policies

Does not have a CRN

Patient Priority Survey

Yes

Patient Priority Survey, share

Yes, will share

Research Roadmap

Yes we have a Research Roadmap, and will share policies

None

Europe

Middle East

None