We’re thrilled to share that the PemOla study, which is investigating a potential combined immunotherapy treatment for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPDAC), is now open in Australia.
Originating at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and led by Dr Pippa Corrie with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre in the UK, with A/Prof Daniel Croagh leading the trial in Australia, PemOla is a phase II trial using precision medicine to understand whether combining two novel drugs – pembrolizumab and olaparib – is more effective in controlling mPDAC than current standard treatments.
Current survival outcomes
With the lowest survival rate of all major cancers in Australia, pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is predicted to become the second leading cause of cancer death by 2030.
In up to 80% of patients, diagnosis comes too late for surgical resection – and for those with metastatic disease, median survival is typically less than one year – even with optimal chemotherapy.
New, more effective treatment options are urgently needed – both in Australia and globally.
“Now is the time to invest in pancreatic cancer so we can be at the forefront of bringing improved treatment approaches and outcomes to our patients,” says A/Prof Croagh.
A precision medicine approach
In efforts to identify effective alternative treatments to traditional chemotherapy, immunotherapy drugs are increasingly being used. While this has led to improved outcomes in some cancers, results in PDAC have been disappointing.
However, around 5% of patients have a high tumour mutational burden (TMB) which could make the cancer more responsive to immunotherapy.
As a signal-seeking study, PemOla is exploring this possibility.
Using a precision medicine approach, the trial is investigating whether patients with mismatch repair deficiency or a TMB of ≥ 4 mutations/Mb may respond well to a combination of the immunotherapy drug, pembrolizumab, and the PARP inhibitor, olaparib.
Taking this targeted approach ensures timely access to treatment for those who have the best chance of a positive response, sparing others from unnecessary treatment and supporting better utilisation of healthcare resources.
Additionally – and significantly – PemOla could also provide the first evidence of the efficacy of immunotherapy in a biomarker-stratified group of patients with mPDAC, providing justification for a larger, international trial.
Backed by the community
Community fundraising and multiple grants have been instrumental in bringing this innovative study to Australian patients.
“I can’t thank the community enough for their support,” says A/Prof Croagh. “If the PemOla trial is successful, this combination therapy could become part of the standard of care for pancreatic cancer patients and contribute to long-term improvements in survival rates.”
Participating sites
PemOla will open at four Australian sites:
- Monash Health, VIC
- Epworth HealthCare, VIC
- Wollongong Hospital, NSW
- Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW
PemOla aims to enrol 20 patients. The trial is currently open in the UK and has registered 13 participants to date.
PemOla is led by Dr Pippa Corrie and sponsored by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre in the UK. AGITG is acting as the local sponsor, with the AGITG Clinical Research Centre as the coordinating centre and Dr Daniel Croagh as the local Study Chair. This trial is generously funded by a Tour de Cure grant, a Pankind Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation Limited Research Grant, an Epworth Medical Foundation Grant and GI Cancer Institute philanthropy.