Clovis Oncology’s Rubraca shows promise in multiple pancreatic tumour mutations, interim data show
pharmafile | April 3, 2019 | News story | Research and Development | Cancer, Clovis Oncology, Pancreatic cancer, Rubraca, oncology, pharma
At the 2019 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Clovis Oncology took the opportunity to present interim results for its poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor Rubraca (rucaparib) in the treatment of platinum-sensitive patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
It was found that, when used in combination with first-line maintenance therapy and following induction with platinum-based chemotherapy, Rubraca provided disease control in patients with BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2-mutated tumours, which accounts for around 5-8% of pancreatic cancer patients.
Interim data from an ongoing study of 42 advanced BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2+ pancreatic patients at the University of Pennsylvania revealed that the median progression-free survival (PFS) in the 19 evaluable patients was 9.1 months, but at the median follow-up 244 days in, median overall survival (OS) had not been reached.
Additionally, of these 19 evaluable patients, one participant achieved complete response and six others achieved a partial response, including both somatic and germline BRCA2+ patients and PALB2+ patients.
“PARP inhibitors have demonstrated activity in multiple cancers that are associated with BRCA mutations,” commented Dr Kim A Reiss Binder, the study’s primary investigator and Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “Given the seemingly intractable challenge presented by pancreatic cancer, we are very pleased that early results from this study support the mounting evidence suggesting PARP inhibitors may have a beneficial role in this disease.”
Clovis President and CEO Patrick J Mahaffy also remarked: “It is becoming clear that PARP inhibitors may offer a much-needed new treatment option for the physicians and patients who are facing the challenge of pancreatic cancer. Based on the encouraging early findings from this investigator-initiated study, as well as the findings from our own RUCAPANC trial of Rubraca in pancreatic cancer, we are evaluating a potential clinical and regulatory path forward for Rubraca in the treatment of pancreatic cancer and hope to have more details later in 2019. In addition, at AACR we are presenting nonclinical data that continue to expand our understanding of both rucaparib and lucitanib to enhance our development strategies.”
Matt Fellows
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