University College London scientists have created a chemical compound that has reduced the growth of pancreatic cancer tumors by 80 percent in treated mice.

The compound, called MM41, blocks faulty genes by targeting cancer-related DNA mutations, called quadruplexes, Medical Xpress reports.

The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, indicated MM41 blocked the action of two genes — k-RAS and BCL-2, linked to pancreatic cancer — in experiments involving 16 mice.

The researchers noted no significant side effects on the mice during the study: there was no damage to other tissue or organs, and none of the mice showed any significant weight loss.

"This research provides a potentially very powerful alternative approach to the way that conventional drugs tackle pancreatic cancer, by targeting a very specific area of the DNA of faulty genes,” said lead researcher Stephen Neidle.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most lethal forms of the disease. Only three in every 100 people diagnosed will live for five years or more because most are diagnosed too late for surgery, which is currently the only treatment.