Biotech Strategy Blog

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ASCO 2013 Abraxane in pancreatic cancer is a welcome new treatment option

At ASCO 2013 Daniel D. Van Hoff, MD, Physician-In-Chief of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), presented the data for the phase III pancreatic cancer MPACT trial that compared weekly nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) plus gemcitabine (Gem) versus gemcitabine alone (ASCO 2013 Abstract 4005).

The results were first presented at the ASCO GI meeting earlier this year, so what’s new here?

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2 Responses to “ASCO 2013 Abraxane in pancreatic cancer is a welcome new treatment option”

  1. Juan P. Serrate, DVM

    Nice piece Pieter. FOLFIRINOX is indicated as first-line in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who are younger than 76 years and have a good performance status (ECOG 0 or 1), no cardiac ischemia, and normal bilirubin. Would Abraxane be administered to this kind of patients or could it be given to sicker patients, as gemzar?

    • 3NT

      Thanks Juan for your comment and question. FOLFIRINOX isn’t approved by the FDA, so there are no formal indications in the US market, although it is used by Academics in patients with a PS 0 or 1, who tend to reserve Gem for poorer performance patients.

      Dr Kindler didn’t make a recommendation on when Abraxane should be used in her ASCO discussion. She did mention in her PSB interview at ASCO GI that only 10% of patients on Gem/Abraxane in the MPACT trial had a performance status of 2 or worse, and that she didn’t feel comfortable using it in those patients – yet. I expect we will see more thought leader guidance emerge once Abraxane is approved and they have more experience of it.

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