Bridging the Gap in Women’s Cancer Research: KolGOTRG Launches Landmark IPIROC Trial Facilitating Treatment of Ovarian Cancer Care through Innovation and Access
Access to costly chemotherapy agents and poor access to clinical trials is a global issue as highlighted in the Every Woman study- Low and low middle income country edition, which was recently published in the prestigious journal Lancet, where India participated through Kolkata Gynecological Oncology Trials and Translational Research Group (KolGOTRG).
Created in 2018, KolGOTRG has been pioneering development of clinical trials and research in women’s cancer as the only research group from India and South Asia to be a member of the global consortium Gyn Cancer Intergroup or GCIG. A landmark study IPIROC (Intermittent PARP inhibitor Regimen in Ovarian Cancer) was launched today officially. This trial was developed after years of pioneering research by Dr Asima Mukhopadhyay, Consultant Gyn Oncologist and clinician scientist and her team. Funded by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), this trial will be open across all states in India and some sites abroad. It will address a critical issue on how to provide the right dose of chemotherapy drug PARP inhibitor with lower side effects and low cost to right patients.
Dr Asima Mukhopadhyay, Director KolGOTRG and ROCK (Regional Ovarian Cancer Centre KolGOTRG) thanked ICMR for funding this important initiative and requested oncologists across India to inform patients about this study where free access to a costly anti-cancer drug will be provided through a trial. She addressed the issue of barriers where some physicians or cancer centers do not want to participate in such academic clinical trials, where poor patients can substantially benefit from newer interventions. She also thanked Suraksha Diagnostics and directors Dr Somnath Chatterjee and Ritu Mittal for immensely facilitating the setting up of the study by providing space for ROCK and provision of laboratory facilities for biobanking and development of next generation biomarker assays like the academic HRD and PARP assay for patient selection, through a unique R&D collaboration with KolGOTRG. She also thanked other industry partners including BDR pharmaceuticals for supporting the 1st phase of the study and providing Pan-India co-ordination for the availability of the PARP inhibitor rucaparib. ‘Academia-industry collaboration is the future’ – Dr Mukhopadhyay explained ,citing other examples of KolGOTRG collaboration with governmental bodies , like the CSIR HCP 40 program in drug development for women’s cancer in India and collaboration with Suraksha Diagnostics Ltd and Cepheid global for an international award winning cervical cancer screening project in Tea gardens of Darjeeling district with support logistical from Ministry of Health and family Welfare, Govt of West Bengal and local NGO, Manisha Nandi foundation.
The event, held in Kolkata on 14th December 2025, was graced by the presence of several world leaders in the field of women’s cancer and KolGOTRG felicitated industry partners and global mentors for their unwavering support, while acknowledging the pivotal role played by Governmental funding bodies like ICMR for their vision in shaping the research direction in India.
We are shocked to see such irresponsible and false reporting from a reputed media house.
