A breakthrough phase 3 clinical trial, published in JAMA Oncology and sponsored by Polaris Pharmaceuticals, has revealed promising results in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare and often fatal cancer linked to asbestos exposure. The trial combined traditional chemotherapy with a new drug, ADI-PEG20, increasing median survival by 1.6 months and quadrupling survival at 36 months compared to placebo-chemotherapy.
With MPM having one of the lowest 5-year survival rates among solid cancers, this innovative approach represents the first successful combination therapy developed for the disease in two decades. The ATOMIC-meso trial, conducted at Queen Mary’s Barts Cancer Institute, stems from 20 years of research led by Professor Szlosarek. His discovery of cancer cells lacking a crucial protein led to the development of ADI-PEG20, offering hope to patients with MPM.
What implications do you think this breakthrough treatment could have for other forms of cancer treatment and research?