adavosertib + gemcitabine + radiation therapy

This combination therapy regimen consists of the Wee1 inhibitor adavosertib (formerly AZD1775 or MK-1775), the antimetabolite chemotherapy gemcitabine, and radiation therapy. Adavosertib is a small molecule inhibitor of the Wee1 kinase, which regulates the G2/M checkpoint in the cell cycle. By inhibiting Wee1, adavosertib prevents cancer cells from repairing DNA damage before entering mitosis, thereby sensitizing them to DNA-damaging agents like gemcitabine and radiation. This specific combination was evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial led by the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center for the treatment of patients with unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The regimen aims to exploit the high frequency of p53 mutations in pancreatic cancer, which makes these cells heavily reliant on the G2/M checkpoint for DNA repair.

Other names

AZD1775 + gemcitabine + radiationMK-1775 + gemcitabine + radiationadavosertib + gemcitabine + radiotherapy