pentasaccharide 4

Pentasaccharide 4 is a synthetic subfragment derived from RN1, a pectin-like natural polysaccharide. It is being investigated as a drug candidate for anti-pancreatic cancer. This oligosaccharide demonstrates an approximate binding affinity to galectin-3 (Gal-3) in vitro and exhibits antiproliferative activity against pancreatic BxPC-3 cells, comparable to its parent compound RN1. In vivo studies have shown that pentasaccharide 4 significantly suppresses the growth of pancreatic tumors. It has also been found to afford better results when administered in combination with docetaxel, suggesting a complementary mechanism of action as a galectin-3 inhibitor. Pentasaccharide 4 is considered a functional structural domain of RN1 and a leading compound for new drug development in pancreatic cancer.