The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) held its ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium from January 18-20, 2024. During the Symposium, doctors, researchers, scientists, and other stakeholders discussed innovative science and research, multidisciplinary care approaches for gastrointestinal cancers, and strategies to imbue a better quality of life to patients and their families. A news release shares that one presentation focused on Phase 1/2 clinical trial findings for atroquinonol, used in conjunction with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine, as a first-line treatment for previously untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Currently, the 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer sits at around 12%. However, that number falls significantly when considering metastatic cancer, or cancer that has spread from its original site to other areas of the body. It can be difficult to diagnose pancreatic cancer as symptoms often do not manifest, or are not noticed, until later disease stages. People with pancreatic cancer may lose weight without meaning to, have upper abdominal pain that radiates to the back, develop newly-onset diabetes or see their current diabetes worsen, have dark urine, not be hungry, and develop blood clots or fatigue. Another challenge is that pancreatic cancer, and particularly metastatic pancreatic cancer, is hard to treat. Novel treatment options that provide improved quality-of-life and benefit survival rates are urgently needed.
Antroquinonol: A Potential Intervention for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
This is where antroquinonol comes in. Biopharmaceutical company Golden Biotechnology Corp., the drug developer, explains that antroquinonol is:
a small molecule NCE with demonstrated activities both in-vivo and in-vitro against a number of malignancies, infectious diseases and neuro-degenerative diseases. Antroquinonol is also an oral compound that has been proven to be both efficacious and safe in a number of Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies…in Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, COVID-19, Hepatitis B, and others.
During ASCO GI 2024, Golden Biotechnology Corp. presented on the findings from a Phase 1/2 study which explored antroquinonol with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer. Nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine are considered the standard-of-care for metastatic pancreatic cancer. Findings from the study highlight that:
- The median overall survival rate for pancreatic cancer, when eligible for the current standard-of-care, is 8.5 months. Treatment with just gemcitabine saw overall survival rates of 6.7 months. When treated with antroquinonol, the median overall survival rate rose to 14.1 months.
- At six and twelve months, overall survival rates were 85.5% and 62.2% respectively for those treated with antroquinonol and the standard-of-care; 67% and 35% respectively for those treated with the standard-of-care alone; and 55% and 22% for those just receiving gemcitabine.
- In addition to the benefits seen for survival rate, antroquinonol also showed other health benefits. People treated with antroquinonol saw lower levels of neutropenia (low neutrophil counts), thrombocytopenia (low platelet counts), anemia (low red blood cell counts), and leukopenia (low leukocyte counts).
