Dr. Bekaii-Saab on Napabucasin Plus Nab-paclitaxel/Gemcitabine in Pancreatic Cancer

Tanios Bekaii-Saab, MD, professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses a study of napabucasin (BBI-608) plus nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) and gemcitabine for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.

In this trial, 72 patients were treated with the combination of chemotherapy plus the stemness inhibitor napabucasin, which affects the stemness of cancer cells that are very resistant to chemotherapy or radiation therapy, Bekaii-Saab explains. Researchers have recently understood that even cancer cells who are not stem cells or have stem-like features can revert back to become stem cells. There have previously not been a way to target those cells.

Additionally, this agent does seem to combine well with standard taxane therapy, he adds.