Key Points
- The first participants have been treated in a clinical trial investigating the safety and feasibility of using histotripsy to treat pancreatic tumors.
- This is the world-first clinical trial to test HistoSonics’ Edison system for pancreatic cancer.
HistoSonics recently announced that the first participants have been treated in a clinical trial (NCT06282809) investigating the safety and feasibility of using histotripsy to treat pancreatic tumors. According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rate of patients after diagnosis is only about 12%, making pancreatic cancer notoriously challenging to treat.
The trial – called GANNON – uses the company’s Edison platform, which is an image-guided, sonic beam therapy system that employs histotripsy to noninvasively and mechanically destroy targeted pancreatic tumors and tissue. The study is being led by Santiago Sánchez Cabús, MD, PhD, clinical head of hepatopancreatobilliary surgery at the Hospital de Sant Pau and professor of surgery at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
In all, the trial will enroll up to 30 participants with inoperable pancreatic adenocarcinoma tumors. Those with unresectable, locally advanced tumors (Stage 3) or those where a small number of tumors have spread to other parts of the body (Stage 4) will be included. After participants undergo a single histotripsy session, researchers will monitor disease progression at frequent timepoints up to 180 days.
“Most patients with pancreatic tumors face limited treatment options and are ineligible for surgery due to advanced stage of disease,” said Mike Blue, HistoSonics CEO and President in the company’s press release. “We believe histotripsy provides a noninvasive option to target tumors that were previously considered untreatable. Our goal is to expand the potential of histotripsy in multiple tumor types, delivering meaningful improvements in outcomes for patients and families. Our early research from the GANNON trial will inform us and our physician partners in optimizing histotripsy to make a significant impact on patient lives.”
HistoSonics’ Edison system was granted US Food and Drug Administration clearance in October 2023 to treat liver tumors. It is also being tested to address kidney tumors.
For Patients
This trial is only enrolling patients at Sant Pau Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Zoe Secord at 612-351-0361 or zoe.secord@histosonics.com.
Read the HistoSonics Press Release
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