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SIL204 treatment may help immune system attack KRAS-driven tumors, research finds - exclusive

Israeli biotech firm Silexion Therapeutics is advancing its experimental drug SIL204, designed to target KRAS mutations found in most pancreatic cancers. Preclinical data suggests it may also enhance the immune system's ability to fight tumors, and a clinical trial has begun at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.

By Tertius News AI Desk 1 outlet · 2 articles Version 1 Coverage Jul 30 – Aug 5, 2026 Published Aug 14

Israeli Drug Candidate SIL204 Shows Promise in Targeting KRAS-Driven Cancers

An experimental treatment developed by Israeli biotechnology company Silexion Therapeutics Corp. is moving into clinical trials, with new preclinical findings suggesting it may also help the immune system attack cancers driven by KRAS mutations. The drug, called SIL204, uses small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules to suppress the expression of mutated KRAS genes inside tumor cells, according to the company.

KRAS mutations are found in approximately 90% of pancreatic cancer patients and in 30–35% of lung adenocarcinomas. These mutations are considered one of the main mechanisms driving tumor growth and the spread of the disease. Developing therapies capable of targeting KRAS has historically proved difficult, and pancreatic cancer remains among the most lethal forms of cancer, often diagnosed only after reaching an advanced stage.

Clinical Trial Initiated

Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center will become the first medical center worldwide to recruit patients for a clinical trial evaluating SIL204, the hospital and Silexion announced. The initial phase will enroll approximately 18 patients and focus primarily on the treatment’s safety. Under the trial protocol, SIL204 will be administered directly into the tumor and combined with standard systemic treatment. Researchers will examine whether silencing mutated KRAS can inhibit tumor growth in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer that cannot be surgically removed.

The study is later expected to expand to additional medical centers in Israel, Germany, and other countries, with total enrollment potentially reaching approximately 166 patients.

Prof. Ravit Geva, director of the Oncology Institute and Gastrointestinal Oncology Center at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, will serve as the study’s lead investigator.

Preclinical Findings on Immune Effects

In preclinical studies released on Wednesday, Silexion reported that SIL204 may help the immune system identify and attack KRAS-driven cancers. Combined with the company's previous data, the findings support SIL204's potential to combat three different ways cancerous tumors evade the immune system: by making cancer cells more visible to the system, restoring susceptibility to cell death from the system, and reducing a checkpoint molecule that allows cells to evade the system's surveillance.

In studies on human cancer cell lines representing three different KRAS mutations in human pancreatic and non-small cell lung cancer, SIL204 treatment led to statistically significant increases in expression of FAS, an immune "death receptor" that allows the immune system to trigger programmed cell death. It also led to a significant reduction in expression of HLA-G, an immune checkpoint.

Company Statement

"These new findings meaningfully extend and reinforce the immuno-oncology profile of SIL204 that we first reported in May," said Ilan Hadar, Chairman and CEO of Silexion. "We believe this profile supports the rationale for further evaluation of SIL204 in combination with anti-PD-(L)1 checkpoint inhibitor therapies, particularly in indications like pancreatic cancer where these agents have historically shown limited single-agent efficacy."

Silexion advanced SIL204 into this new phase as the oncology research field explores combining KRAS-directed treatments with checkpoint inhibitors.

How this outlet told it

Jerusalem Post as of Aug 5, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC

Framing: Breakthrough in cancer treatment — Optimistic

Facts Included:

SIL204 is a treatment being developed by Israeli company Silexion Therapeutics Corp.
SIL204 may help the immune system identify and attack KRAS-driven cancers
The treatment uses small RNA molecules to suppress the expression of mutated KRAS genes
KRAS mutations occur in roughly 90% of pancreatic cancers and 30-35% of lung adenocarcinomas
SIL204 treatment led to statistically significant increases in expression of FAS and reduction in expression of HLA-G

Read the source article →

Jerusalem Post as of Jul 30, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC

Framing: Clinical trial for SIL204 — Informative

Facts Included:

Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center will recruit patients for a clinical trial of SIL204
SIL204 targets KRAS mutations in pancreatic cancer
The trial will evaluate SIL204's safety and efficacy in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer
The study will enroll approximately 18 patients and expand to additional medical centers
Prof. Ravit Geva will serve as the study’s lead investigator

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimSIL204 is a treatment being developed by Israeli company Silexion Therapeutics Corp. SIL204 may help the immune system identify and attack KRAS-driven cancers.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Aug 5, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC
ClaimThe treatment uses small RNA molecules to suppress the expression of mutated KRAS genes.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Aug 5, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC
ClaimKRAS mutations occur in roughly 90% of pancreatic cancers and 30-35% of lung adenocarcinomas.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Aug 5, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC
ClaimSIL204 treatment led to statistically significant increases in expression of FAS and reduction in expression of HLA-G.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Aug 5, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC
ClaimThe trial will enroll approximately 18 patients and focus primarily on the treatment’s safety.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 30, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC
ClaimProf. Ravit Geva will serve as the study’s lead investigator at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 30, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC
ClaimThe study is later expected to expand to additional medical centers in Israel, Germany, and other countries.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Aug 5, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

1 outlet · 2 articles consulted: Jerusalem Post 7 claims extracted Version 1 Written 2026-08-14