Repurposed drug relacorilant may extend survival in aggressive ovarian cancer patients

A drug originally developed to treat a rare hormonal disorder may help extend survival in patients with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer, according to new clinical trial findings.

The drug, Relacorilant, is typically used to treat Cushing’s syndrome but has shown promising results in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, a condition where the disease progresses within six months of platinum-based chemotherapy.

In a phase 3 study published in The Lancet, researchers analysed data from 381 patients. Those treated with relacorilant showed a 35% reduction in the risk of death compared with patients receiving standard care. On average, patients in the relacorilant group lived four months longer after an average follow-up of two years.

Patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer typically have limited treatment options and are expected to survive about a year after diagnosis.

In a separate phase 3 study involving 643 patients, the immunotherapy drug Pembrolizumab was also found to improve survival. Patients receiving pembrolizumab alongside standard care lived an average of 17.7 months, compared with 14 months for those on standard treatment alone.

Ovarian cancer remains a significant health concern, ranking among the most common cancers in women, with thousands of new cases and deaths reported annually.

Both treatments require further evaluation before approval in the UK, although relacorilant and pembrolizumab have already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in treating platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in the United States.