Repurposed Drug Relacorilant Shows Promise in Extending Survival for Aggressive Ovarian Cancer
A recent clinical trial published in The Lancet indicates that relacorilant, a drug originally developed for Cushing’s syndrome, may significantly improve survival rates for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. This aggressive form of the disease progresses within six months of platinum-based chemotherapy and typically offers limited treatment options with an average one-year survival post-diagnosis. The study analyzed 381 patients, revealing that those treated with relacorilant experienced a 35% reduction in the risk of death and lived an average of four months longer than those receiving standard care. Researchers suggest these findings could establish relacorilant as a new standard treatment. Additionally, a separate phase 3 trial involving pembrolizumab showed similar benefits, extending average survival to 17.7 months compared to 14 months for usual care. While both drugs have received FDA approval in the United States for this indication, they still require further testing before potential approval in the UK. Ovarian cancer remains the sixth most common cancer among women in the UK, accounting for approximately 3,900 annual deaths, highlighting the critical need for effective therapeutic advancements.
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Repurposed Drug Relacorilant Shows Promise in Extending Survival for Aggressive Ovarian Cancer
A recent clinical trial published in The Lancet indicates that relacorilant, a drug originally developed for Cushing’s syndrome, may significantly improve survival rates for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. This aggressive form of the disease progresses within six months of platinum-based chemotherapy and typically offers limited treatment options with an average one-year survival post-diagnosis. The study analyzed 381 patients, revealing that those treated with relacorilant experienced a 35% reduction in the risk of death and lived an average of four months longer than those receiving standard care. Researchers suggest these findings could establish relacorilant as a new standard treatment. Additionally, a separate phase 3 trial involving pembrolizumab showed similar benefits, extending average survival to 17.7 months compared to 14 months for usual care. While both drugs have received FDA approval in the United States for this indication, they still require further testing before potential approval in the UK. Ovarian cancer remains the sixth most common cancer among women in the UK, accounting for approximately 3,900 annual deaths, highlighting the critical need for effective therapeutic advancements.
The Guardian