ORION CORPORATION
PRESS RELEASE
24 OCTOBER 2026 at 9.35 EEST
Darolutamide plus ADT and radiation therapy reduces risk of metastasis or death by 58% in prostate cancer patients at high risk of recurrence
- Interim analysis results from the Phase 3 trial DASL-HiCaP show a 58% reduction in the risk of metastasis or death in the combined primary endpoint of metastasis-free survival (MFS-CI) with darolutamide versus placebo, in addition to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiation therapy
- Four-year metastasis-free survival rate in trial reached 95% with darolutamide compared to 88% with placebo, alongside secondary endpoint improvements and a safety profile consistent with previous studies
- Results will be presented as a late-breaking abstract in a Presidential Symposium at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2026
ESPOO, Finland, October 24, 2026 - New late-breaking data to be presented today at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2026 will show that adding darolutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor (ARi) initially discovered by Orion Pharma, to standard-of-care androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and locoregional radiation therapy (RT), significantly improves metastasis-free survival based on conventional imaging (MFS-CI) in prostate cancer patients with high risk of recurrence compared to placebo. Darolutamide is currently not approved for this treatment setting. These data will be presented at Presidential Symposium I at the ESMO Congress 2026 (LBA4, Saturday 24 October, 16:30 CET).
At a median follow-up of 3.8 years, the interim analysis demonstrated a 58% reduction in the risk of metastasis or death with darolutamide plus ADT and RT compared with placebo plus ADT and RT (hazard ratio [HR] 0.42; 95% CI: 0.27-0.66; p=0.0001). The 4-year metastasis-free survival rate was 95% for patients receiving darolutamide compared with 88% for those receiving placebo.
Secondary endpoints also showed consistent positive trends with darolutamide, with a 53% reduction in the risk of prostate-specific antigen progression free survival (PSA-PFS; HR 0.47; 95% CI: 0.33-0.67), and a 4-year PSA-PFS rate of 91% versus 83% with placebo. Prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS) and overall survival (OS) hazard ratios were 0.58 (95% CI: 0.17-1.97; 99% vs 99% at 4 years) and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.49-1.59; 97% vs 95% at 4 years), respectively, with follow-up ongoing.
The safety profile of darolutamide was consistent with its known tolerability, with adverse events being similar to the placebo group. Proportions of patients experiencing Grade =2 adverse events of special interest for darolutamide versus placebo were: fatigue/asthenia (14% vs 10%), hypertension (7% vs 9%), fractures (2% vs 3%), and cardiac events (3% vs 3%). Any Grade =3 adverse event occurred in 43% of patients in the darolutamide group versus 36% in the placebo group.
Follow-up of participants is continuing to provide further information on longer-term outcomes, including overall survival.
About the DASL-HiCaP trial (ANZUP1801)
The DASL-HiCaP trial is an investigator-initiated, randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase III trial (NCT04136353) evaluating darolutamide added to standard-of-care ADT and locoregional radiation therapy in prostate cancer patients at high risk of recurrence. DASL-HiCaP is conducted by the University of Sydney and ANZUP Clinical Trials Group and is the fourth Phase III trial for darolutamide. Following ARAMIS, ARASENS, and ARANOTE, which demonstrated darolutamide's efficacy and safety in advanced prostate cancer, DASL-HiCaP represents the first Phase III study of darolutamide in early prostate cancer. A total of 1,106 participants across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom were randomized 1:1 to receive darolutamide (600 mg twice daily) or matching placebo for 96 weeks, combined with an LHRH analog for 96 weeks and RT to the prostate/prostate bed and pelvic lymph nodes. The primary endpoint was metastasis-free survival based on conventional imaging (MFS CI). Secondary endpoints included prostate-specific antigen progression free survival (PSA-PFS), prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS), and overall survival (OS). The protocol specified an interim analysis after 87 MFS-CI events; follow-up is ongoing to evaluate long-term overall survival.
About Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer and the fourth most common cause of cancer death in men worldwide. Over 1.5 million men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and almost 420,000 die from the disease worldwide. By 2040, prostate cancer diagnoses are projected to increase to 2.9 million.
Standard therapy for prostate cancer patients at high risk of recurrence combines radiation therapy with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). However, despite this approach, a significant proportion of patients experience treatment failure, local recurrence, or distant metastases. Intensifying therapy early with an advanced androgen receptor inhibitor aims to improve long-term disease control and delay metastatic progression.
About darolutamide (Nubeqa)
Darolutamide is an oral ARi with a unique chemical structure that binds with high affinity to the androgen receptor and exhibits a strong antagonistic effect against the androgen receptor inhibiting the receptor function and growth of prostate cancer cells. Additionally, preclinical models and neuroimaging data in healthy humans, support darolutamide's low potential for blood-brain barrier penetration and low potential for clinically relevant drug drug interactions.
Darolutamide, under the brand name Nubeqa plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), is already approved in more than 85 markets around the world, including the US, EU and China. It is approved for the treatment of adult patients with mHSPC without docetaxel in 75 markets and with docetaxel in more than 85 countries, and for adult patients with nmCRPC at high risk of developing metastatic disease in more than 85 countries.
Darolutamide is developed jointly by Orion Pharma and Bayer.
A robust clinical development program is underway investigating darolutamide across various stages of prostate cancer. Current ongoing trials include the Phase III ARASTEP trial evaluating the efficacy of darolutamide plus ADT compared to ADT alone in hormone sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC), in patients with high-risk biochemical recurrence (BCR) who have no evidence of metastatic disease by conventional imaging and a positive PSMA PET/CT at baseline.
Media contact:
Maddie Davidshofer, Lead, Scientific & Pipeline Communications
tel. +1 857 529 0169
Investor contact:
Tuukka Hirvonen, Head of Investor Relations
tel. +358 10 426 2721
Publisher:
Orion Corporation
Communications
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http://www.orionpharma.com
Orion Pharma is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company - a builder of well-being for over a hundred years. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients, combining our trusted expertise with continuous innovation. We have an extensive portfolio of proprietary and generic medicines and consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by us are used to treat cancer, respiratory diseases and neurological diseases, among others. In 2025 our net sales amounted to EUR 1,890 million, and we employ about 4,000 professionals worldwide, dedicated to building well-being.
