HALO-109-301: a Phase III trial of PEGPH20 (with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel) in hyaluronic acid-high stage IV pancreatic cancer

The outlook for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer remains poor, despite significant advances in our understanding of pancreatic tumor biology. One emerging theme highlights the distinct composition of the pancreatic tumor microenvironment. Hyaluronic acid is a hydrophilic glycosaminoglycan whose production within the tumor leads to increased interstitial tumor pressure, thereby limiting the access of potentially effective circulating anticancer drugs via reduced tumor perfusion. PEGylated rHuPH20 is a multiply PEGylated recombinant human hyaluronidase that has shown promising efficacy in preclinical models and early phase clinical trials in pancreatic cancer patients. Here, we discuss these findings, and the rationale for the ongoing randomized Phase III trial (HALO-109-301), which seeks to definitively define the efficacy of PEGylated rHuPH20 alongside gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in previously untreated, hyaluronic acid-high, stage IV pancreatic cancer.