Novocure and Roche Announce Clinical Collaboration to Evaluate TTFields Combined with Tecentriq as First-Line Therapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Novocure announced today a clinical trial collaboration with Roche to evaluate the combination of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) and the anti-PD-L1 antibody Tecentriq for the first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC).

PDAC is the most common form of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 85%–95% of all solid pancreatic tumors. As a highly lethal malignancy, it is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, resulting in over 300,000 deaths annually. PDAC is highly resistant to current therapies, with a 5-year overall survival rate of only 7.2%.

As cancer develops, cancerous cells undergo rapid and uncontrolled division, and intracellular charged proteins render these cells susceptible to disruption by electric fields. Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy is a novel oncology treatment modality that operates within a distinct frequency range (100–500 kHz), enabling the electric fields to penetrate the cancer cell membrane, disrupt tumor cell mitosis, induce apoptosis in affected cancer cells, and inhibit tumor growth. Furthermore, by adjusting the electric field frequency, tumor cells can be specifically targeted while sparing the majority of healthy cells.

▲ Mechanism of Action of Tumor Treating Fields Therapy (Image source: Novocure official website)

Recently, it was granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the U.S. FDA for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma in combination with the anti-PD-L1 antibody atezolizumab and the anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab.

In September 2018, Zai Lab obtained an exclusive license from Novocure for the development and commercialization of the technology in Greater China. Previously, the marketing application for the Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy device Optune had been approved by the NMPA, marking the first therapy approved in mainland China in 15 years for glioblastoma.

This Phase 2 clinical trial will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) in combination with Tecentriq, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel as first-line treatment for patients with PDAC, with an expected enrollment of approximately 75 patients. The primary endpoint of the trial is the disease control rate.

References:

[1] Novocure Announces Clinical Trial Collaboration with Roche to Evaluate Tumor Treating Fields as Part of a Novel Combination for the First-line Treatment of Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer. Retrieved September 14, 2021, fromhttps://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210914005119/en

(Original text abridged)

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