The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has funded a new pan-India clinical trial to examine a more affordable and potentially better-tolerated dosing approach for targeted ovarian cancer treatment. The study, titled Intermittent PARP Inhibitor Regimen in Ovarian Cancer, has been initiated by the Kolkata Gynaecological Oncology Trials and Translational Research Group (KOLGOTRG).
The IPIROC trial will assess whether an intermittent, twice-weekly dosing schedule of the PARP inhibitor rucaparib can maintain treatment effectiveness while lowering drug-related toxicity and overall costs. The study will be conducted across several centres in India, along with select international sites.
The launch of the trial comes amid increasing global attention on unequal access to expensive cancer therapies and clinical research, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. These concerns were highlighted in The Every Woman Study Low and Low-Middle-Income Country Edition, published in The Lancet on December 11, 2025, with India’s participation led by KOLGOTRG.
The study has been developed over several years by Dr Asima Mukhopadhyay, Consultant Gynaecologist and Clinician Scientist, and is funded by ICMR. Suraksha Clinic and Diagnostics Limited is providing support for laboratory services, biobanking and biomarker analysis. Eligible participants in the trial will receive access to the PARP inhibitor at no cost. According to Dr Mukhopadhyay, treatment costs and side effects often limit continued use of PARP inhibitors, and the trial seeks to identify dosing strategies that balance effectiveness with affordability.
PARP inhibitors are commonly used in cancers associated with BRCA mutations or homologous recombination deficiency, including ovarian and breast cancers. Although these therapies have demonstrated clinical benefit, their high cost and adverse effects have restricted their broader and sustained use, particularly in resource-limited settings.
The IPIROC trial was formally launched during KOLGOTRG’s eighth annual meeting, which was attended by national and international specialists in gynaecological oncology. Participants included Dr Michael Bookman, Chair of the Gynaecological Cancer Intergroup (GCIG), Dr Amit Oza, former GCIG Chair, and senior clinicians from institutions such as AIIMS, Tata Memorial Hospital, SGPGI and KGMU.
KOLGOTRG is the only research group from India and South Asia that is a member of the GCIG, a global collaborative network for gynaecological cancer research. The group acknowledged support from ICMR, industry partners and international collaborators, highlighting the contribution of academic–industry collaboration in advancing cost-conscious cancer research in India.
