Biopharmaceutical company HUTCHMED has launched the Phase III trial evaluating the combination of surufatinib, camrelizumab, nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine as a treatment for patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). 

PDAC is a highly aggressive form of cancer, representing over 90% of pancreatic cancer cases. Globally, an estimated 511,000 people were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, leading to approximately 467,000 deaths in 2022, with an average five-year survival rate of less than 10%.  

Treatments such as chemotherapy, surgery and radiation are commonly used but have not shown significant improvement in patient outcomes. Under 20% of metastatic pancreatic cancer patients survive for more than a year. 

HUTCHMED’s trial is a multicentre, randomised, open-label Phase II/III study evaluating the safety and efficacy of the drug combination versus nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine. A total of 62 patients were enrolled in the Phase II part of the trial, with plans to enrol approximately 400 additional patients in the Phase III part. 

The first patient received the first dose of the surufatinib, camrelizumab, nabpaclitaxel and gemcitabine combination on 30 December 2025. 

Bruno Quinney, Content Team, DDW