Clinical trials of a new combination drug therapy have shown promising results in slowing the spread and reducing deaths from prostate disease.
The TALAPRO-2 study, led by Neeraj Agarwal, MD, FASCO, Presidential Endowed Chair of Cancer Research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, found that using the cancer drug Talzenna, in combination with another drug Xtandi, may reduce the risk of progression and death from prostate disease by 37%. The study examined the use of the two oral medications for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer.
Agrawal presented the results of these and other Phase 3 trials at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium last month.
“As a physician, I want my patients to be able to enjoy life while being treated for cancer,” Agarwal said in a news release. “Clinical trials help us find better cancer treatments with fewer side effects. Those who are impacted by cancer can have hope that their treatment is constantly improving.”
A total of 1,126 male participants took part in the phase 3 trial and were randomly assigned to two groups. Some of the participants received a combination of the two drugs, while others received a standard treatment of Xtandi and a placebo pill. The study found those who took the combination of the two drugs had a lower risk of disease progression and death.
The study may provide new hope for the treatment of prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer and second leading cause of death in men, in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Phase III trials are typically the last stage before the FDA can approve a new treatment. The agency is expected to make a decision on the investigatory drug combination sometime in 2023.
