A new clinical trial led by Northwestern Medicine found that the experimental drug elraglusib, when combined with standard chemotherapy, doubled the one-year survival rate for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer compared to chemotherapy alone, according to an April 14 announcement. The phase 2 randomized trial also showed a 38% reduction in risk of death for those receiving the new treatment.
Pancreatic cancer is among the most lethal cancers and difficult to treat, making these findings significant for patients and clinicians seeking better outcomes. The disease is currently the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.
The study enrolled 233 patients across North America and Europe who were randomly assigned either standard chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus elraglusib. Median survival was 10.1 months for those receiving elraglusib versus 7.2 months for those on chemotherapy alone. While side effects were somewhat more common in the group taking elraglusib, including low white blood cell counts and fatigue, they were generally manageable.
Lead author Dr. Devalingam Mahalingam said, "Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most challenging solid tumors to treat, but these findings provide cautious optimism for patients." He added that while confirmation in phase 3 trials is needed, "observing survival benefit in such a difficult-to-treat cancer is encouraging," and suggested that this novel mechanism could have broader applications beyond pancreatic tumors.
Patients’ families reported meaningful experiences from participating in the trial. Donna Husar credited her late husband’s nearly two years on elraglusib with giving their family more time together, while Maria Lepowsky said her husband valued maintaining his autonomy during treatment despite some serious side effects.
Elraglusib works differently than traditional chemotherapy by targeting GSK-3 beta protein involved in tumor growth and immune suppression within the tumor microenvironment. The study found increased immune cell activity among treated patients as well as potential markers indicating which individuals might benefit most from this approach.
The research team plans to pursue a larger phase 3 confirmatory trial pending funding and partnerships and will explore combining elraglusib with other therapies to broaden its clinical impact.
