Panbela Therapeutics says DSMB recommends continuation of ASPIRE trial

Panbela Therapeutics announced that the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board has completed its third pre-specified safety review of the ongoing Phase 3 ASPIRE clinical trial evaluating ivospemin in combination with gemcitabine and nab-Paclitaxel for the first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The DSMB recommended study continuation without modification, marking the third consecutive positive safety review. The safety database now includes 395 patients, compared to 214 patients on November 29, 2023. Key Takeaways: The DSMB’s recommendation to proceed without modification affirms support for ivospemin’s safety profile. The safety database has expanded to 395 patients, providing a robust foundation for evaluating ivospemin’s safety. The lower-than-expected event rate suggests the potential for prolonged survival among ASPIRE trial participants. Rapid enrollment positions Panbela to remain on path to complete enrollment in Q1 2025, earlier than initially anticipated. Panbela also highlighted the significance of the ASPIRE trial in the context of recent advancements in mPDAC treatment, such as the Napoli 3 trial, which led to the approval of liposomal irinotecan in combination with fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and leucovorin. Despite this approval, which was based on a median overall survival benefit of 1.9 months compared to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel, the prognosis for patients with mPDAC remains poor, with median overall survival still less than 12 months. The incremental benefits in median survival have been modest in the past 11 years, with the recent approval of Onivyde in the NALIRIFOX regimen demonstrating a 1.9-month survival benefit compared to the approval of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel, which was based on a median overall survival benefit of 1.8 months over gemcitabine alone.