ceralasertib + gemcitabine

ceralasertib + gemcitabine is a combination therapy consisting of the ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related) kinase inhibitor ceralasertib (AZD6738) and the nucleoside metabolic inhibitor gemcitabine. Ceralasertib is an orally bioavailable small molecule that selectively inhibits ATR, a key regulator of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway, particularly in response to replication stress. By inhibiting ATR, ceralasertib prevents DNA repair and promotes the accumulation of DNA damage, leading to cell death, especially in cancer cells with existing DDR deficiencies. Gemcitabine is a chemotherapy agent that incorporates into DNA, causing chain termination and further inducing replication stress. The combination is being investigated for its synergistic potential in treating advanced solid tumors, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma, by exploiting the increased DNA damage and replication stress induced by gemcitabine while blocking the repair mechanisms mediated by ATR. This specific study (ATRiUM) is sponsored by the Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit (CCTU) - Cancer Theme.

Other names

AZD6738 + gemcitabineceralasertib plus gemcitabine