The INCLIVA Health Research Institute, affiliated with the Hospital Clínico Universitario de València, and the University of Valencia have collaborated on an international Phase II clinical trial evaluating a new combination treatment for metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The therapy, which combines elraglusib with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GnP), has yielded positive results, increasing the survival of patients affected by this aggressive malignancy.

According to findings published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine, the new treatment has extended median overall survival by 2.9 months and doubled the one-year survival rate from 22% to 44%. Furthermore, it reduces the risk of death by 38%.

Dr. Andrés Cervantes, Scientific Director of INCLIVA and Professor at the University of Valencia, led the Spanish participation in this multicenter study. Cervantes emphasizes the critical need for new treatments due to the limitations of current options, as pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the EU.

The study also reveals that the experimental treatment increases cytotoxic immune cells within the tumor microenvironment by up to 40 times, suggesting immunomodulatory effects of elraglusib that could offer an added benefit.

Dr. Cervantes believes the combination is feasible, well-tolerated, and improves survival, making it crucial to proceed with a Phase III trial to seek approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Regarding safety, the most common adverse effects include transient visual disturbances, fatigue, and neutropenia. The study clarifies that visual disturbances are short-lived, and neutropenia correlates with treatment efficacy.