Parexel is at the forefront of many of the recent advances in gastrointestinal cancer. Colon cancer and pancreatic cancer remain major causes of cancer morbidity, and we are actively engaged in many trials evaluating novel and promising agents in these disease areas.
Significant progress has been made with earlier use of immunotherapy, both as front-line therapy for advanced gastric cancer and as postoperative therapy of resected esophageal cancer. A novel antibody-drug-conjugate targeting HER2 provides new hope for patients with this subset of gastric cancers. The same therapy is under evaluation in colon cancer, and we are very proud to be part of it.
For example, we think of the patients who participated in a Phase III metastatic pancreatic cancer study, which aimed to establish a biomarker-driven approach in treatment. The study involved an extremely rare patient segment with a BRCA gene mutation and encompassed 13 countries across 3 continents. We focused on sites with hereditary pancreatic registries. Essential to recruitment was engagement with patient advocacy and social media groups, along with patient recruitment tools to fully explain the ramifications of trial participation to patients and families. The project was completed on time and achieved regulatory approval for a drug that doubles the time patients can live without disease progression.
As one of the top CROs in cancers of the digestive tract, we have conducted 40+ clinical trials over the past 5 years. We are a leader in conducting global studies, encompassing key geographic areas such as the Asia-Pacific region including China and India.