Bayer Drug Nubeqa Boosts Prostate Cancer Survival
New clinical trial results show the medication improves metastasis-free survival in patients with high-risk prostate cancer.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Cancer
Live Poll
Do new clinical trial results increase your trust in modern cancer treatment options?
Bayer's drug Nubeqa significantly improved metastasis-free survival for high-risk prostate cancer patients in the DASL-HiCaP clinical trial. Researchers presented these findings at the ESMO Congress in Madrid.
Why it matters
These trial results demonstrate a clear clinical benefit for using Nubeqa alongside standard therapy to prevent disease progression. Improving survival outcomes for patients with high-risk Gleason scores is a major focus for cancer researchers globally.
In the trial of over 1,000 participants, 27 patients receiving Nubeqa experienced disease progression or death compared to 63 patients in the control group. Among the participants, 73% had a high-risk Gleason score of 9 or 10.
The players
Bayer
Bayer is a multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company that develops and manufactures Nubeqa.
ESMO Congress
The ESMO Congress is an annual international meeting that brings together oncologists and researchers to share advancements in cancer science.
The details
Patients in the Nubeqa group received the drug in addition to androgen deprivation therapy and radiation, while the control group received only radiation and androgen deprivation therapy. The trial population included patients with pelvic lymph node spread and those requiring additional post-surgery radiation.
Timeline
2019: Nubeqa received its initial approval for treating prostate cancer.
2022: The FDA expanded the label for Nubeqa to metastatic castration-sensitive cancer.
2025: The drug earned 2.39 billion euros in annual sales.
October 2026: DASL-HiCaP results were presented at the ESMO Congress.
2027: The final analysis of the primary trial endpoint is expected.
The Big Picture
This research follows the parameters set by the DASL-HiCaP trial to evaluate new treatments for high-risk patients. The findings represent a notable advancement in testing therapies against established standards of care.
These results provide clinicians with more data when deciding between standard-of-care treatments and combination therapies for high-risk prostate cancer. Patients should consult their oncologists to understand how these updated survival figures may influence their personal treatment plans.
The takeaway
Combination therapies continue to show promise in extending survival for patients facing high-risk cancer diagnoses. Clinicians and patients can use these findings to discuss the potential integration of new drug therapies into existing treatment routines.
What happens next
The final analysis of the primary endpoint for the DASL-HiCaP trial is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about evolving treatment standards at the Cancer section.
Live Poll
Do new clinical trial results increase your trust in modern cancer treatment options?
