Ewing sarcoma is a rare bone and soft tissue cancer that predominantly affects children and young adults and has poor outcomes at relapse. The drug trabectedin offers a hopeful new option for treatment.
Patient advocates have collaborated with investigators and the manufacturer of trabectedin, to open a new treatment arm containing trabectedin within rEECur, the largest international randomised trial in relapsed Ewing sarcoma. This development will offer additional options for patients with limited treatment alternatives. The treatment arm is planned to open in the UK and internationally later this year.
rEECur is an international academic trial coordinated by the Cancer Research Clinical Trials Unit (CRCTU), University of Birmingham and developed by the Euro Ewing Consortium (EEC), which is funded by the Bone Cancer Research Trust.
With so few individuals diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma each year, rEECur’s flexible, multi arm design allows researchers to study multiple treatments within the same trial, ensuring that every patient’s involvement has the greatest possible impact.
The inclusion of trabectedin is underpinned by promising data presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2024, which demonstrated clinical benefit in Ewing sarcoma. This provides strong scientific rationale for evaluating the drug in rEECur.
The drug offers hope to patients in relapse who would have access to a potentially more effective and less toxic drug combination, providing better quality of life. For the company providing the drug, PharmaMar, the trial is an opportunity to study one of their key products in a new disease area.
Chief investigator for the study, Professor Martin McCabe of The University of Manchester, has said:
This collaboration between the clinical trial team, patient representatives, trial funders and PharmaMar is a great example of what can be achieved when partners with different objectives communicate honestly and respectfully with each other. I am delighted that our conversations have led to a mutually beneficial outcome for all, but particularly for patients with relapsed Ewing sarcoma.
Natalia Fernandez, patient advocate said:
This decision sets an important precedent for positive collaboration between patients, clinicians, and industry. It shows that when all stakeholders work together, progress can be accelerated for people who need it most.
Zoe Davison, Director of Research at the Bone Cancer Research Trust added:
This exemplifies how collaboration can accelerate progress in rare cancers such as Ewing sarcoma. By working in an aligned and united way, funders and industry partners such as PharmaMar can ensure trials can evolve and incorporate promising new treatment as they become available, giving patients hope and time. We would like to thank Cancer Research UK and PharmaMar for their commitment to Ewing sarcoma patients. By continuing to work together collaboratively, we will make a meaningful difference for patients.