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ASCO 2026 | PROGEM: proglumide plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in metastatic PDAC
Benjamin Adam Weinberg, MD, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, comments on safety and tumor microenvironment (TME) effects of proglumide combined with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in the Phase I PROGEM trial (NCT05827055). Proglumide demonstrated a favorable safety profile and remodeled the TME by reducing fibrosis and immunosuppression while enhancing T-cell infiltration, with circulating microRNA changes offering a promising non-invasive biomarker panel for monitoring treatment response. This interview took place during the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting in Chicago, IL.
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Transcript
So PROGEM, we try to use this drug called proglumide, which was previously studied for peptic ulcer disease. It’s a cholecystokinin receptor B antagonist and seems to be quite well tolerated. We combine it with standard chemo, in this case, gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer and really trying to see, did it affect fibrosis? So we think that this agent will decrease intratumoral fibrosis that will allow an influx of not just chemotherapy but immune cells as well...
So PROGEM, we try to use this drug called proglumide, which was previously studied for peptic ulcer disease. It’s a cholecystokinin receptor B antagonist and seems to be quite well tolerated. We combine it with standard chemo, in this case, gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer and really trying to see, did it affect fibrosis? So we think that this agent will decrease intratumoral fibrosis that will allow an influx of not just chemotherapy but immune cells as well. And we saw this in a fairly small six patient phase one study that again the drug does seem to be quite well tolerated but looking at the pharmacodynamic effects of pre and on treatment tumor biopsies we saw a reduction in fibrosis and improvement in pain in patients who received proglumide. And we’d like to do a phase two randomized study of gemcitabine and paclitaxel with either proglumide or placebo.
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