A combination of three well-known and FDA approved compounds has been discovered to significantly suppress the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells in clinically relevant models of pancreatic cancer. Embodiments of the invention include compositions of matter comprising a combination of agents such as metformin, simvastatin, and digoxin as well as methods of treating cancers using such agents. Illustrative methods include combining a population of pancreatic cancer cells with amounts of metformin, simvastatin, and digoxin sufficient to inhibit expression of BIRC5 protein in the population of pancreatic cancer cells, thereby inhibiting the growth of the population of pancreatic cancer cells.
