What the trial was testing
The OLYMPUS enrolled 71 patients with kidney cancer. The study was sponsored by UroGen Pharma Ltd. and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was a large trial designed to confirm whether the treatment works well enough for wider use. Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
59% of patients had their kidney tumors completely disappear after six weekly gel treatments.
The Lancet. Oncology · 2020 · NCT02793128
These findings — that tumors completely disappeared after six weekly treatments — were published in the The Lancet. Oncology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 71 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with kidney cancer, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This treatment might help you avoid kidney removal surgery if you have low-grade cancer in your kidney's upper tract. The gel is instilled directly into your kidney once a week for six weeks. This treatment is FDA-approved and available now. Talk to your urologist about whether this kidney-sparing option is right for your situation.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open kidney cancer trials
A Phase 3 Study of Tabelecleucel for Participants With Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disease After Failure With Rituximab or Rituximab and Chemotherapy
The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical benefit and characterize the safety profile of tabelecleucel for the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus-associated post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (EBV+ PTLD) in the setting of (1) solid organ transplant (SOT) after failure of rituximab (SOT-R) and rituximab plus chemotherapy (SOT-R+C) or (2) allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) after failure of rituximab.
IDOV-Immune for Advanced Solid Tumors
This is a Phase I clinical trial evaluating an investigational treatment called IDOV-Immune, a type of oncolytic virus therapy, for adults with advanced solid tumors that have not responded to standard treatments. Oncolytic viruses are designed to infect and destroy cancer cells and have the potential to stimulate the immune system to fight the tumor. The purpose of this study is to determine the safety of IDOV-Immune, how well it is tolerated, and to identify the highest dose that can be safely given. Researchers will also study how the drug behaves in the body, how the immune system responds to it, and whether it shows any signs of shrinking tumors. Participants will receive a single intravenous (IV) infusion of IDOV-Immune and will be closely monitored for side effects and any changes in their cancer. This study is being conducted at multiple sites in the United States and Australia.