On July 21, 2023 Novocure (NASDAQ: NVCR) reported the results of a pre-specified interim analysis for the phase 3 PANOVA-3 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy together with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine for the treatment of patients with unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer (Press release, NovoCure, JUL 21, 2023, View Source [SID1234633372]). An independent data monitoring committee (DMC) reviewed the safety and efficacy data for all patients in the fully enrolled clinical trial. The interim analysis resulted in a DMC recommendation that the clinical trial proceed to final analysis.

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"Completion of the interim analysis with the DMC’s recommendation to continue PANOVA-3 to completion marks another important step in pursuit of our mission to treat patients with difficult solid tumors of the abdomen," said Asaf Danziger, Novocure’s Chief Executive Officer. "I would like to express my thanks to our patients and investigators. We look forward to reviewing the PANOVA-3 data in 2024 and potentially extending the lives of patients diagnosed with deadly locally advanced pancreatic cancer by treating with our novel therapy, Tumor Treating Fields."

About PANOVA-3

PANOVA-3 is a randomized, open-label clinical trial designed to enroll 556 adult patients with unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Patients have been randomized to receive either the combination of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine concomitant with TTFields therapy tuned to 150 kHz until progression or the combination of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine alone. The primary endpoint is overall survival. Secondary endpoints include progression free survival, local progression free survival, objective response rate, one-year survival rate, quality of life, pain-free survival, puncture-free survival, resectability rate, and toxicity. Following enrollment of the final patient in February 2023, patients will be followed for a minimum of 18 months.

About Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers and is the third most frequent cause of death from cancer in the U.S. While overall cancer incidence and death rates are remaining stable or declining, the incidence and death rates for pancreatic cancer are increasing. It is estimated that approximately 53,000 patients are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year in the U.S. Pancreatic cancer has a five-year relative survival rate of just 10%.

Physicians use different combinations of surgery, radiation and pharmacological therapies to treat pancreatic cancer, depending on the stage of the disease. For patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer involving encasement of arteries but no extra-pancreatic disease, the standard of care is surgery followed by chemotherapy with or without radiation. Unfortunately, the majority of locally advanced cases are diagnosed once the cancer is no longer operable, generally leaving chemotherapy with or without radiation as the only treatment option.

About Tumor Treating Fields Therapy

Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) are electric fields that exert physical forces to kill cancer cells via a variety of mechanisms. TTFields do not significantly affect healthy cells because they have different properties (including division rate, morphology, and electrical properties) than cancer cells. The multiple, distinct mechanisms of TTFields therapy work together to selectively target and kill cancer cells. Due to its multimechanistic actions, TTFields therapy can be added to cancer treatment modalities in approved indications and demonstrates enhanced effects across solid tumor types when used with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibition, or PARP inhibition in preclinical models. TTFields therapy provides clinical versatility that has the potential to help address treatment challenges across a range of solid tumors. To learn more about Tumor Treating Fields therapy and its multifaceted effect on cancer cells, visit tumortreatingfields.com.