The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved relacorilant in combination with nab-paclitaxel for adults with platinum-resistant ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who have already received one to three prior treatments, including bevacizumab.
This approval is based on a phase 3 trial involving 381 patients, where the combination therapy was compared with nab-paclitaxel alone. Patients receiving the combination lived longer without disease progression (6.5 months vs. 5.5 months) and had improved overall survival (16 months vs. 11.9 months). The clinical benefit rate was also higher at 51.1% compared to 38.9%. Importantly, patients do not need a specific genetic test to qualify for this treatment.
In the study, patients were split into two groups. One group received relacorilant around the time of chemotherapy, while the other received chemotherapy alone. The results showed that adding relacorilant improved treatment effectiveness.
Common side effects included low blood counts, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, rash, and reduced appetite. Relacorilant works by blocking glucocorticoid receptors and should not be used in patients who need life-saving corticosteroids. It also carries risks such as neutropenia and adrenal insufficiency.