The UV and INCLIVA are taking part in an international clinical trial of a new pancreatic cancer treatment that increases survival and reduces the risk of death

The University of Valencia (UV) and the INCLIVA Health Research Institute, part of the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia, have participated in an international study evaluating a new treatment combining elraglusib with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GnP) for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The phase II clinical trial has shown positive results, demonstrating that the therapy improves survival among patients affected by this highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. The findings have been published in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine.

Spain’s contribution to the international study was led by professor Andrés Cervantes of the University of Valencia, scientific director of INCLIVA – where he coordinates the Research Group on Colorectal Cancer and New Therapeutic Developments in Solid Tumours (InDeST) – and head of the Medical Oncology Department at the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia.

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the European Union and the seventh worldwide. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is the most common subtype, accounting for 90% of cases. At the time of diagnosis, around half of patients already present with metastases, resulting in an unfavourable prognosis. Median overall survival is 7.2 months and the one-year survival rate is 22%. “Current treatment options are limited, so the search for new therapies is vital”, says Andrés Cervantes, professor of Oncology and Human Genetics at the University of Valencia.

“The Phase I Oncology Clinical Trials Unit at INCLIVA, linked to the Oncology Department of the University Clinical Hospital of Valencia, has gained international recognition, which enabled our participation in the original development of the combination treatment with elraglusib — a drug that inhibits the GSK-3β enzyme, which regulates various cellular processes including cell proliferation — and GnP”, explains Andrés Cervantes, who is also head of the Unit.

The results of the current clinical trial indicate that the new treatment extends median overall survival by 2.9 months and doubles the one-year survival rate from 22% to 44%. In addition, the experimental therapy reduces the risk of death by 38%.

The study, which involved participants from six countries, identified further benefits associated with the treatment. The experimental therapy increased the number of cytotoxic immune cells — capable of destroying cancer cells — within the tumour microenvironment by up to forty-fold. However, this effect was not observed with GnP monotherapy. The finding suggests that elraglusib has immunomodulatory properties that may provide additional therapeutic benefit.

“The experimental combination is feasible, well tolerated and produces a beneficial effect that prolongs survival, so it is extremely important to organise a phase III trial in order to obtain approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA)”, adds Cervantes.

The article notes that the safety profile of the combination therapy continued to be assessed throughout the clinical trial. The most common adverse effects were visual disturbances, fatigue and neutropenia (low levels of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell). However, the research team emphasises that the visual disturbances are transient and last for less than one hour. Furthermore, neutropenia is not specifically toxic, as elraglusib does not reduce blood cell counts; rather, it correlates with adequate exposure and the proper biological activity of the treatment, the study clarifies.

Article reference: Mahalingam, D.; Shroff, R.T.; Carneiro, B.A. et al. “Elraglusib and chemotherapy in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a randomized controlled phase 2 trial”. Nat Med 32, 1794–1804 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-026-04327-4