ActiveCancerNIHR-supported projectBrain & Nervous System
A Phase 3, open-label, randomized 2-arm study comparing the clinical efficacy and safety of niraparib with temozolomide in adult participants with newly-diagnosed, MGMT unmethylated glioblastoma
Recipient organisationNIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre
NIHR supportRecorded as supported by this research centre
PeriodFeb 2025 — Jan 2028
In plain English
AI plain-English summary
A clinical trial is testing whether a targeted cancer drug called niraparib can outperform standard chemotherapy for people with the most common and aggressive form of adult brain cancer. This matters because most glioblastomas lack a genetic marker—MGMT methylation—that makes them sensitive to the standard chemotherapy drug temozolomide. For these patients, temozolomide offers limited benefit, and outcomes remain poor. The trial directly compares niraparib, a PARP inhibitor that exploits DNA repair weaknesses in cancer cells, against temozolomide, both given alongside radiotherapy. If niraparib significantly delays cancer progression or extends survival, it could become a new first-line treatment option for the majority of glioblastoma patients who currently have few effective alternatives. This would change clinical practice for a disease that devastates quality of life and has seen no major treatment advances in decades. The trial is enrolling participants at research sites worldwide.
View original technical description
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common type of brain cancer in adults, known for its poor outcomes and impact on quality of life. The majority of glioblastomas are not very sensitive to treatments with standard chemotherapy, temozolomide. One way to predict the sensitivity is by testing for the “methylation” status of specific region of a gene called MGMT within the tumor.This clinical trial compares two treatments for adults with newly diagnosed, MGMT unmethylated glioblastoma: niraparib, a targeted cancer drug known as a PARP inhibitor, and temozolomide (TMZ), the standard chemotherapy drug for glioblastoma. The main goal of this study is to determine if niraparib can significantly extend the time before the cancer progresses, as well as survival, compared to temozolomide.A total of 450 participants (aged 18 and older) will be enrolled and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups:• Group 1: Niraparib plus radiotherapy, followed by niraparib treatment alone for as long as the cancer does not progress.• Group 2: Temozolomide plus radiotherapy, followed by a rest period, then temozolomide treatment alone for about additional 6 months, as long as the cancer does not progress. The typical treatment duration for participants who completes treatment in this group is around 8 months from the beginning of radiotherapy.This study is sponsored by NeuroTrials LLC and funded by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). It will be conducted at approximately 115 research sites worldwide.
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