The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has funded a new pan-India clinical trial to evaluate a cost-effective dosing strategy of the PARP inhibitor rucaparib in women with ovarian cancer, aiming to improve access to high-cost targeted therapies in low-resource settings. The trial, titled Intermittent PARP Inhibitor Regimen in Ovarian Cancer (IPIROC), has been officially launched by the Kolkata Gynaecological Oncology Trials and Translational Research Group (KOLGOTRG) and will be conducted across multiple centres in India and select international sites.
IPIROC will assess whether an intermittent, twice-weekly dosing regimen of rucaparib can reduce treatment-related toxicities and overall costs while maintaining clinical efficacy, potentially enabling longer and more sustainable use of PARP inhibitors. As part of the study, eligible patients will receive free access to the otherwise expensive anti-cancer drug, with Suraksha Clinic and Diagnostics Limited supporting laboratory infrastructure, biobanking and advanced biomarker testing. “High costs and treatment-related toxicities often force patients to discontinue PARP inhibitors; through this study, we aim to identify the right dose for the right patient, while making cutting-edge treatment more affordable and accessible,” said Dr Asima Mukhopadhyay, Consultant Gynaecologist, Clinician Scientist and Director, KOLGOTRG.
PARP inhibitors are targeted therapies used primarily in cancers associated with BRCA mutations or homologous recombination deficiency, including ovarian and breast cancers, but their widespread use has been constrained by pricing and side effects, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The launch of IPIROC coincides with global concerns over inequitable access to cancer drugs and trials, underscored by The Every Woman Study – Low and Low-Middle-Income Country Edition, published in The Lancet on December 11, 2025, in which India participated through KOLGOTRG.
The trial was unveiled at KOLGOTRG’s 8th annual meeting, attended by leading global and Indian experts in women’s cancers, including Dr Michael Bookman, Chair of the Gynaecological Cancer Intergroup (GCIG), Dr Amit Oza, past GCIG Chair, and senior faculty from AIIMS, Tata Memorial Hospital, SGPGI, KGMU and other institutions. KOLGOTRG is currently the only research group from India and South Asia to be a member of GCIG, and the initiative highlights the growing role of academia–industry partnerships in advancing affordable, high-quality cancer research in the country, with support acknowledged from ICMR, industry collaborators and international mentors.
