On February 9, 2026 Nuvation Bio Inc. (NYSE: NUVB), a global oncology company focused on tackling some of the toughest challenges in cancer treatment, reported finalization of a protocol amendment to the ongoing global SIGMA study (also known as G203; NCT05303519) of safusidenib that expands it to a Phase 3 trial. SIGMA is evaluating the efficacy and safety of safusidenib versus placebo for the maintenance treatment of patients with high-risk or high-grade IDH1-mutant astrocytoma following standard-of-care. Safusidenib is a novel, oral, potent, brain-penetrant targeted inhibitor of mutant IDH1.
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The new protocol broadens patient eligibility in the registrational portion of the trial and includes those with grades 2 and 3 IDH1-mutant astrocytoma with high-risk features and grade 4 IDH1-mutant astrocytoma, following standard-of-care radiation or chemoradiation and adjuvant temozolomide. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival as assessed by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) per Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) 2.0. To support regulatory submissions for patients with astrocytoma, the protocol amendment significantly increases trial enrollment from 100 to 300 patients in the U.S., Australia and China.
The trial will now also enroll a non-pivotal single-arm cohort to examine the efficacy and safety of safusidenib in chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-naïve patients with grade 3 IDH1-mutant oligodendroglioma. The primary endpoint for this arm is objective response rate. This cohort is expected to enroll approximately 40 patients.
"These SIGMA protocol updates reflect alignment with U.S. regulators to support the potential approval of safusidenib as swiftly as possible for a patient population that is in dire need of options," said David Hung, M.D., Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Nuvation Bio. "Following discussions with regulatory agencies, advocacy groups and physicians, we substantially expanded the study to include most patients with an IDH1-mutant glioma who currently have no approved targeted therapies available. We are encouraged by the promising results seen in the Phase 2 study, which included both astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma, and are eager to explore the potential of safusidenib across multiple settings through this registrational trial. We expect initial data for the separate oligodendroglioma cohort in 2027."
"Patients with IDH1-mutant gliomas face a lack of available therapies with proven ability to extend long-term survival while maintaining quality of life," said David Arons, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. "This is particularly true for patients with higher-risk or high-grade IDH1-mutant astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma, where available treatment options — including clinical trials specific to their tumor type — are historically few and far between. Including such patients in pivotal trials, we hope, could bring meaningful benefit for this area of high-unmet medical need."
About IDH1-Mutant Glioma
Gliomas are the most common type of brain cancer in adults worldwide. In the U.S., nearly 2,400 people are diagnosed with IDH1-mutant gliomas each year. Most patients are diagnosed in their 30s and 40s. While patients with IDH1 mutations generally have longer survival times than those with wild-type IDH1, gliomas are not currently curable and prognosis worsens for those with high grade tumors.
About Safusidenib
Safusidenib is a novel, oral, potent, brain-penetrant, targeted inhibitor of mutant IDH1. In Phase 1 and 2 clinical studies, safusidenib was well-tolerated and demonstrated anti-tumor activity and high blood-brain barrier penetration.
(Press release, Nuvation Bio, FEB 9, 2026, View Source [SID1234662550])