Experimental drug doubles survival of ovarian cancer patients in trial

Elenagen combined with standard chemotherapy shows dramatic improvement in median survival for women with ovarian cancer resistant to first-line treatments.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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In a mid-stage clinical trial in Belarus, researchers found that adding an experimental drug called elenagen to standard gemcitabine chemotherapy significantly improved survival for 30 women with ovarian cancer resistant to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy drugs. Patients receiving the combination treatment had a median survival of more than 25 months, compared to around 13 months for those receiving gemcitabine alone. The researchers said the results were remarkable not only for the magnitude of the survival benefit, but also because it was achieved without added toxicity.

Why it matters

Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest gynecological cancers, and patients with platinum-resistant disease have very limited treatment options. The positive results from this trial suggest elenagen could represent a new therapeutic approach that harnesses the body's own biology to fight tumors, rather than just intensifying chemotherapy. If confirmed in larger trials, this could be a significant advancement in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

The details

The 30 women in the study had ovarian cancer that was resistant to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy drugs, and also had elevated blood levels of the cancer protein CA-125. All patients received standard gemcitabine chemotherapy, and half also received weekly intramuscular injections of elenagen, which is being developed by CureLab Oncology. Elenagen contains a protein called p62/SQSTM1 that reduces chronic inflammation and triggers an immune response against tumors. Patients receiving the combination treatment had a median survival of more than 25 months, compared to around 13 months for those receiving gemcitabine alone. Treatment with elenagen also reduced mortality risk by nearly 60%.

  • The trial was conducted in Belarus.
  • The results will be presented on February 27 at the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology meeting in Copenhagen.

The players

Sergei Krasny

The study leader and a researcher at the N. N. Alexandrov National Cancer Centre of Belarus in Minsk.

CureLab Oncology

The company developing the experimental drug elenagen.

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What they’re saying

“What makes these results remarkable is not only the magnitude of the survival benefit, but that it was achieved without added toxicity and without a specific biomarker.”

— Sergei Krasny, Study leader (Statement)

“Our team is very excited about the potential clinical implications of this model for accurate and timely diagnosis of PAS.”

— Alexandra Hammerquist, Researcher, Baylor College of Medicine (Statement)

What’s next

The company said it is planning to conduct larger trials of elenagen in the U.S. to further evaluate its efficacy in treating ovarian cancer.

The takeaway

This trial suggests elenagen, a novel drug that harnesses the body's own biology to fight cancer, could represent a significant advancement in the treatment of ovarian cancer, a disease with limited treatment options. If confirmed in larger studies, this combination therapy could dramatically improve survival for patients with platinum-resistant disease.