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Peer-reviewedCC BYFrontiers in oncology

Global clinical trial activity in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer from January 2020 to March 2026: a landscape analysis

  • Lin Fan1
  • Shuang Wu2
  • Xingxing Xie3
  • Yang Zheng4
  • Longxia Chen4
  • Ruilin Ding4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Departments of Good Clinical Practice, Yaan People’s Hospital, Yaan , ,
  2. 2Department of Anesthesiology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou , ,
  3. 3Departments of Pharmacy, Yaan People’s Hospital, Yaan , ,
  4. 4Department of Clinical Research Management, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou , ,
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Abstract

Background: Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains a lethal stage of prostate cancer with poor prognosis. Clinical trials for mCRPC are growing rapidly worldwide. However, a comprehensive systematic analysis of the global research and development landscape in mCRPC remains lacking.

Methods: This study queried the Trialtrove database for interventional trials in mCRPC registered between January 1, 2020 and March 27, 2026. After exclusion of unrelated trials and non-therapeutic studies, 474 trials were analyzed.

Results: The therapeutic landscape for mCRPC has evolved into a highly diversified and dynamic field, overwhelmingly dominated by early-phase investigations. Targeted therapy, particularly PARP inhibitors, remain the leading class, while radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT), centered on ¹⁷⁷ Lu-PSMA, has reached a mature stage of development. Immunotherapy is expanding beyond checkpoint blockade into bispecific T-cell engagers and cellular therapies, and endocrine therapy is being reshaped by PROTAC degraders. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are also gaining momentum, with B7 homolog 3 protein (B7-H3) as the most actively pursued targets. Combination regimens account for 39.2% of trials.

Conclusion: mCRPC clinical research landscape has diversified remarkably, shifting from conventional chemotherapy and endocrine therapy toward mechanism-based, biomarker-guided, and combination-oriented strategies.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{fan2026global,
  title = {{Global clinical trial activity in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer from January 2020 to March 2026: a landscape analysis}},
  author = {Lin Fan and Shuang Wu and Xingxing Xie and Yang Zheng and Longxia Chen and Ruilin Ding},
  journal = {Frontiers in oncology},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.3389/fonc.2026.1930401},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662642},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Global clinical trial activity in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer from January 2020 to March 2026: a landscape analysis
AU  - Lin Fan
AU  - Shuang Wu
AU  - Xingxing Xie
AU  - Yang Zheng
AU  - Longxia Chen
AU  - Ruilin Ding
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
JO  - Frontiers in oncology
DO  - 10.3389/fonc.2026.1930401
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13662642
AB  - Background: Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains a lethal stage of prostate cancer with poor prognosis. Clinical trials for mCRPC are growing rapidly worldwide. However, a comprehensive systematic analysis of the global research and development landscape in mCRPC remains lacking.  Methods: This study queried the Trialtrove database for interventional trials in mCRPC registered between January 1, 2020 and March 27, 2026. After exclusion of unrelated trials and non-therapeutic studies, 474 trials were analyzed.  Results: The therapeutic landscape for mCRPC has evolved into a highly diversified and dynamic field, overwhelmingly dominated by early-phase investigations. Targeted therapy, particularly PARP inhibitors, remain the leading class, while radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT), centered on ¹⁷⁷ Lu-PSMA, has reached a mature stage of development. Immunotherapy is expanding beyond checkpoint blockade into bispecific T-cell engagers and cellular therapies, and endocrine therapy is being reshaped by PROTAC degraders. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are also gaining momentum, with B7 homolog 3 protein (B7-H3) as the most actively pursued targets. Combination regimens account for 39.2% of trials.  Conclusion: mCRPC clinical research landscape has diversified remarkably, shifting from conventional chemotherapy and endocrine therapy toward mechanism-based, biomarker-guided, and combination-oriented strategies.
SN  - 2234-943X
ER  -