{"id":25347,"date":"2024-08-07T14:09:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T18:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/?page_id=25347"},"modified":"2025-12-18T18:16:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T23:16:07","slug":"pegargiminase","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/treatment\/chemotherapy\/pegargiminase\/","title":{"rendered":"Pegargiminase (ADI-PEG20) for Mesothelioma"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Is Pegargiminase a Breakthrough New Treatment for Mesothelioma?<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Yes,<\/strong> some doctors have called pegargiminase a breakthrough treatment for <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/\">mesothelioma<\/a> because of its ability to increase overall survival rates and prevent the cancer from progressing.<\/p>\n<p>In a clinical trial of nearly 250 mesothelioma patients, those who received pegargiminase combined with chemotherapy had a median <strong>overall survival of 9.3 months compared to 7.7 months<\/strong> for those receiving the placebo combined with chemotherapy.<\/p>\n<p>Some cancer researchers believe pegargiminase could be the first drug of its kind to be effectively combined with chemotherapy in 20 years.<\/p>\n<h3>Key Facts on Pegargiminase (ADI-PEG20) for Mesothelioma<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Type of treatment:<\/strong> Enzyme-based cancer drug<\/li>\n<li><strong>Common side effects:<\/strong> Fatigue, nausea, constipation, and tenderness at the injection site<\/li>\n<li><strong>How it works:<\/strong> By depleting the body of the amino acid arginine, which cancer cells need to grow<\/li>\n<li><strong>Combined treatments:<\/strong> Chemotherapy drugs, specifically pemetrexed with cisplatin or carboplatin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Download our <strong>Free Chemotherapy Guide<\/strong> to learn about the top cancer drugs for mesothelioma and how to manage side effects during treatment.<\/p>\n<div id=\"28840\" class=\"one-off-28840 widget widget_oscar-vque one-off\" data-vqueid=\"28840\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"one-off\">.one-off-28840{margin:60px auto;max-width:335px}.one-off-28840:first-child{margin-top:0}.one-off-28840:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.one-off-28840>a{background:#2F293D;display:block;padding:20px;padding-bottom:35px;border-radius:10px;color:#fff;text-decoration:none}.one-off-28840 img.mobile-only{margin:0 auto 20px;max-width:177px;width:100%}.one-off-28840 img:not(.mobile-only){display:none}.one-off-28840 .vque-content{font-size:16px;text-align:center}.one-off-28840 strong.heading{font-size:24px;display:block;margin:0}.one-off-28840 .subheading{font-size:14px}.one-off-28840 ul{font-size:16px;text-align:left;list-style:none;max-width:265px;line-height:1.4;margin:15px auto 25px}.one-off-28840 ul li{padding-left:28px;margin-bottom:15px}.one-off-28840 ul li:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.one-off-28840 ul li:before{font-family:\"mesohope\"!important;line-height:1;content:\"\\e904\";border:0;position:absolute;left:0;top:0;background:#0FAEBF;width:20px;height:20px;border-radius:20px;line-height:20px;text-align:center;font-size:12px}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.one-off-28840{max-width:620px}.one-off-28840>a{padding:0;background:linear-gradient(90.42deg,#2F293D 51.6%,#4A415F 109.35%)}.one-off-28840>a>div{display:block;display:flex;align-items:end;flex-wrap:wrap;position:relative}.one-off-28840 .vque-content{width:65%;padding:30px;text-align:left}.one-off-28840 img.mobile-only{display:none}.one-off-28840 img:not(.mobile-only){display:block;width:250px;margin-bottom:0;position:absolute;bottom:0;right:0}.one-off-28840 ul{max-width:none}.one-off-28840 ul li{margin-bottom:10px}}<\/style><a href=\"\/chemotherapy-guide\/\" title=\"Free Chemotherapy Guide\u2028for Mesothelioma Patients\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Free Chemotherapy Guide\u2028for Mesothelioma Patients Ad\"><div>\r\n<div>\r\n<div class=\"image-fade\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/thank-you-page-chemotherapy-img.png\" alt=\"Chemotherapy Guide Images\" class=\"mobile-only\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/chemo-guide-img.png\" alt=\"Chemotherapy Guide Images\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"vque-content\">\r\n<strong class=\"heading\">Free Chemotherapy Guide\u2028for Mesothelioma Patients<\/strong>\r\n<span class=\"subheading\">Written by cancer nurses<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Top chemo drugs explained<\/li>\r\n<li>Preparing for your first session<\/li>\r\n<li>Managing side effects like\u2028nausea & fatigue<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p><strong class=\"button arrow\" title=\"Download It Now\">Download It Now<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2>How Pegargiminase Treats Mesothelioma Cancer<\/h2>\n<p>Scientists recently discovered that mesothelioma cells need a lot of arginine (a type of protein) to grow. Pegargiminase is able to break down this food supply, essentially starving the cancer cells.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It does this in two ways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>1. Depleting Arginine<\/h3>\n<p>Pegargiminase works by depleting the amino acid arginine, and is very effective in cases of mesothelioma that are deficient in argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS1).<\/p>\n<p>Because people with non-epithelioid mesothelioma are considered to have around three times the amount of tumoral ASS1 deficiency, this treatment method is particularly effective on this subtype.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Sensitizing Cancer Cells<\/h3>\n<p>Through arginine deprivation, pegargiminase makes cancer cells more sensitive to <a href=\"\/treatment\/chemotherapy\/\">chemotherapy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This makes chemotherapy effective in targeting and destroying mesothelioma cells. For this reason, pegargiminase is more beneficial when combined with chemotherapy as opposed to being used on its own.<\/p>\n<h2>Benefits of Pegargiminase for Mesothelioma<\/h2>\n<p>One of the main potential benefits of pegargiminase for mesothelioma is <strong>its ability to help patients live longer<\/strong>. This is a huge advancement, as some types and stages of mesothelioma cancer have life expectancies as few as 6 months without treatment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"callout-shortcode\"><style type=\"text\/css\">.callout-shortcode{background:#EDF8F9;border-radius:0 10px 10px 0;padding:20px 20px 20px 24px;margin:40px 0;max-width:860px;position:relative}.callout-shortcode:before{content:\" \";position:absolute;top:0;bottom:0;width:4px;height:100%;left:0;background:linear-gradient(180deg, #0FAEBF 0%, #EDF8F9 100%)}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{color:#100134;font-size:22px;display:block;margin:0 0 15px}.callout-shortcode:first-child{margin-top:0}.callout-shortcode:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:20px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding-top:17px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:74px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{left:22px;position:absolute;top:20px;width:59px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background:#fff url(\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/mh-icon-65.png);background-position:center;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-size:70%;border-radius:30px;bottom:-10px;content:\"\";display:block;height:30px;position:absolute;right:-10px;width:30px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.callout-shortcode{padding:25px 25px 25px 34px}.callout-shortcode .callout-shortcode-heading{font-size:24px}.callout-shortcode .img-wrap{margin-bottom:0}.callout-shortcode.has-img{min-height:170px;padding-left:175px}.callout-shortcode.has-img .img-wrap{position:absolute;left:29px;top:25px;width:119px}.callout-shortcode.hope.has-img{padding-left:170px}.callout-shortcode.hope>strong{padding:0}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap{width:109px}.callout-shortcode.hope .img-wrap:before{background-size:66%;bottom:-15px;height:42px;width:42px}}<\/style><div class=\"content\"><p>An 80-year-old mesothelioma patient who received pegargiminase in a <a href=\"\/treatment\/clinical-trials\/\">clinical trial<\/a> is <strong>still alive 5 years after being told he had just 4 months to live.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Another benefit of pegargiminase is that it causes few and only typically mild side effects and is considered safe for patients with <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/stages\/\">all stages of mesothelioma<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Clinical Research &amp; Results for Pegargiminase Mesothelioma Treatment<\/h2>\n<p>The most recent and significant results for pegargiminase came from the <strong>ATOMIC-Meso Clinical Trial<\/strong>, which was led by Professor Peter W. Szlosarek of the Barts Cancer Institute in London.<\/p>\n<p>This ADI-PEG 20 clinical trial began in 2018 and was based on extensive cancer research that took place over 20 years. Phases 2 and 3 of the trial took place from August 2017 to August 2022, with results published in the February 2024 issue of <em>JAMA Oncology<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>It involved 249 pleural mesothelioma patients from around the world with all stages of cancer. Over the course of 2 years, half of them were given pegargiminase along with <a href=\"\/treatment\/chemotherapy\/drugs\/alimta\/\">pemetrexed (Alimta\u00ae)<\/a> and cisplatin or carboplatin, while the other half were given a placebo in addition to the same chemotherapy drugs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The ATOMIC-Meso Clinical Trial found that pegargiminase:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Helped patients live longer with minimal side effects<\/li>\n<li>Quadrupled 3-year <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/prognosis\/survival-rate\/\">mesothelioma survival rates<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Stopped cancer progression for over 6 months on average<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In an earlier trial called the <strong>Arginine Deiminase and Mesothelioma (ADAM) study<\/strong>, 50% of patients with ASS1-deficient pleural mesothelioma who received pegargiminase had <strong>stable disease after 4 months,<\/strong> meaning their cancer did not spread. In contrast, only 22% of those who received <a href=\"\/treatment\/palliative\/\">palliative care<\/a> experienced the same outcome.<\/p>\n<h2>Pegargiminase in Mesothelioma Treatment Plans<\/h2>\n<p>Pegargiminase can be used as an initial treatment before chemotherapy or combined with other <a href=\"\/treatment\/\">mesothelioma treatments<\/a> to help patients live longer.<\/p>\n<h3>Pegargiminase and Chemotherapy<\/h3>\n<p>Pegargiminase is intended to be combined with chemotherapy when treating mesothelioma, and has shown particular promise when combined with the chemotherapy drug pemetrexed.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to pemetrexed, patients would then be given cisplatin or carboplatin, two types of platinum-based <a href=\"\/treatment\/chemotherapy\/drugs\/\">chemotherapy drugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Pegargiminase With Other Mesothelioma Treatments<\/h3>\n<p>Doctors may also combine pegargiminase and chemotherapy with other mesothelioma treatments like <a href=\"\/treatment\/surgery\/\">surgery<\/a>, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy.<\/p>\n<p>Since pegargiminase is intended to be used as a first-line (initial) treatment, these treatments would likely be considered afterward, depending on the health of the patient and their cancer stage.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a patient in the later stages of mesothelioma may not be healthy enough to undergo surgery but could qualify for treatment with the immunotherapy drugs<a href=\"\/treatment\/immunotherapy\/opdivo-yervoy\/\"> Opdivo\u00ae and Yervoy\u00ae<\/a> (nivolumab and ipilimumab).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Need help finding treatment?<\/strong> Use our Free Doctor Match service to connect with top mesothelioma specialists in your area.<\/p>\n<div id=\"25223\" class=\"one-off-25223 widget widget_oscar-vque one-off\" data-vqueid=\"25223\"><style type=\"text\/css\" data-style=\"one-off\">.one-off-25223{margin:60px auto}.one-off-25223 a{box-shadow:0 4px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.25);display:block;background:#e4f4f6;padding:20px 25px 200px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;position:relative;overflow:hidden;max-width:360px;margin:0 auto}.one-off-25223 a::before{background:#0FAEBF;border-radius:50% 50% 0 0;content:'';position:absolute;bottom:0;height:19%;width:135%;left:-60px;z-index:0}.one-off-25223 .vque-content,.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{z-index:1;position:relative}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{width:100%;position:absolute;left:-10px;bottom:-15px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:absolute;bottom:0;width:100%;max-width:unset;left:0}.one-off-25223 .heading{font-size:27px;line-height:33px;text-align:center;display:block;max-width:340px;margin:5px auto 25px}.one-off-25223 ul{list-style:none;margin:-10px auto 22px;text-align:left;font-size:16px;line-height:26px}.one-off-25223 ul li{margin:0 0 15px;position:relative;padding-left:35px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{font-family:\"mesohope\"!important;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;content:\"\\e904\";background:#0FAEBF;width:21px;height:21px;display:block;position:absolute;left:0;top:4px;border-radius:50%;color:#fff;font-size:11px;text-align:center;line-height:21px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:center}.one-off-25223 .button{padding:12px 16px;display:block}@media screen and (min-width:768px){.one-off-25223 a{max-width:620px;padding:30px 30px 35px;border-radius:0 0 4px 4px}.one-off-25223 a::before{border-radius:50%;height:155%;width:150%;right:-550px;left:unset;bottom:-295px}.one-off-25223 .heading{text-align:left;margin:2px 0 25px;max-width:unset;font-size:24px}.one-off-25223 ul{margin:-7px 0 30px;max-width:365px;line-height:23px}.one-off-25223 ul li::before{top:1px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap{max-width:unset;position:absolute;right:-25px;bottom:-35px;margin:0 0 -2px;left:unset;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .image-wrap img{position:relative;bottom:0;left:0;width:380px}.one-off-25223 .button{display:inline-block;padding:14px 25px}.one-off-25223 p{text-align:left}}@media screen and (min-width:1150px){.one-off-25223 a{padding:30px}}<\/style><a href=\"\/get-matched\/\" title=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"cte\" data-ce-category=\"In-Content Ads\" data-ce-label=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor Ad\"><div>\r\n    <div class=\"vque-content\">\r\n        <strong class=\"heading\">Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor<\/strong>\r\n        <ul>\r\n            <li>Find top specialists near you<\/li>\r\n            <li>Seek compensation for travel & care<\/li>\r\n            <li>Get medical guidance<\/li>\r\n        <\/ul>\r\n        <p><strong class=\"button arrow\" title=\"Get Matched Now\">Get Matched Now<\/strong><\/p>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"image-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\"  src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Doctors-ad.png\" alt=\"Get Matched With a Mesothelioma Doctor\" class=\"lazyload\" ><\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/a><\/div>\n<h2>Who Are the Best Candidates for Pegargiminase Mesothelioma Treatment?<\/h2>\n<p>Pegargiminase has shown to be especially helpful for mesothelioma patients with the biphasic and sarcomatoid <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/cell-types\/\">cell types of mesothelioma<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other groups that may benefit from ADI-PEG20 include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Late-stage patients:<\/strong> Pegargiminase was found to be safe and effective for patients with limited treatment options due to the extent of their cancer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Newly diagnosed patients:<\/strong> Pegargiminase was tested as a first-line treatment along with chemotherapy, with research showing this was its most effective use.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pleural mesothelioma patients:<\/strong> Pegargiminase has shown promise specifically in patients with <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/pleural\/\">malignant pleural mesothelioma<\/a>, which develops in the lung lining.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Since pegargiminase isn\u2019t approved by the FDA yet, further testing is needed to determine who may benefit the most from this new drug.<\/p>\n<h2>How Would Pegargiminase Be Used to Treat Mesothelioma?<\/h2>\n<p>Right now, patients can only receive pegargiminase treatments through clinical trials since the drug hasn\u2019t been approved by the U.S. Food &amp; Drug Administration (FDA).<\/p>\n<p>Based on clinical trials, however, it\u2019s likely that doctors will continue to use pegargminiase in a similar way if it\u2019s approved.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Your treatment plan may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>1. Weekly Pegargiminase Injections<\/h3>\n<p>Pegargiminase is administered in the arm by intramuscular injection.<\/p>\n<p>You will always be monitored closely during the injection process, and your doctor can address any concerns you have before you start treatment.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Chemotherapy Every Three Weeks<\/h3>\n<p>In addition to pegargiminase, you would also be given chemotherapy every 3 weeks for up to 6 cycles. This treatment regimen can then continue <strong>up to 2 years<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The chemotherapy drug pemetrexed will be administered through intravenous injection along with cisplatin or <a href=\"\/treatment\/chemotherapy\/drugs\/carboplatin\/\">carboplatin<\/a>. As with your initial pegargiminase injections, you\u2019ll be carefully monitored after your treatment session to make sure you don\u2019t have any adverse reactions.<\/p>\n<h3>3. Monitoring for Side Effects<\/h3>\n<p>Possible <a href=\"\/treatment\/side-effects\/\">side effects<\/a> of pegargiminase include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Constipation<\/li>\n<li>Diarrhea<\/li>\n<li>Fatigue<\/li>\n<li>Nausea<\/li>\n<li>Tenderness around your injection site<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The side effects of pegargiminase are usually mild. In very rare instances, pegargiminase can also cause allergic reactions and systemic toxicity (side effects affecting the whole body). <strong>You should always tell your doctor about any side effects you experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Follow-Up Care After Pegargiminase for Mesothelioma<\/h2>\n<p>Mesothelioma patients treated with pegargiminase will require follow-up care that is personalized to their specific cancer stage.<\/p>\n<p><strong>This follow-up may include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Additional treatments,<\/strong> depending on how you respond to pegargiminase and what your diagnosis calls for<\/li>\n<li><strong>Lifestyle changes<\/strong> to manage your mental and physical health while in recovery, such as maintaining a healthy <a href=\"\/treatment\/diet-and-nutrition\/\">mesothelioma diet<\/a>, engaging in physical activity and exercise as allowed, and getting enough sleep<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regular check-ups<\/strong> with your doctor and health care team to see how you\u2019re responding to treatment and address any symptoms or side effects you\u2019re experiencing<\/li>\n<li><strong>Testing <\/strong>like bloodwork and <a href=\"\/mesothelioma\/diagnosis\/imaging-scans\/\">imaging scans<\/a> to evaluate the progression of your mesothelioma and how your treatments are working<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Close monitoring after treatment will help ensure you have the best possible outcome and maintain a good quality of life.<\/p>\n<h2>We Can Help You Find Top Treatments for Mesothelioma<\/h2>\n<p>At Mesothelioma Hope, we\u2019re dedicated to providing the latest information on <a href=\"\/treatment\/emerging-treatments\/\">emerging treatments<\/a> like pegargiminase.<\/p>\n<p>New ways of treating this cancer are continually being studied in clinical trials, offering hope for longer survival and an improved quality of life for mesothelioma patients.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you have any questions or need support, our team is here to help by:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Providing detailed information on the latest treatments<\/li>\n<li>Connecting you with top mesothelioma specialists<\/li>\n<li>Helping you access clinical trials in your area<\/li>\n<li>Sharing legal options that can help you pay for treatment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Call us now at <a href=\"tel:+18666088933\" title=\"Click to call (866) 608-8933\" class=\"in-content-tel-link\" data-ce-category=\"Click to Call\" data-ce-label=\"(866) 608-8933\">(866) 608-8933<\/a> or <a href=\"\/about\/contact\/\">fill out our contact form<\/a> to get personalized support.<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-wrap\"><h2 class=\"faq-wrap-heading\">Pegargiminase for Mesothelioma FAQs<\/h2><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"1\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">What is the new drug for mesothelioma?<\/h3><div><p>While there are several new mesothelioma drugs being studied, <strong>pegargiminase (ADI-PEG20)<\/strong> is considered one of the most promising.<\/p>\n<p>In clinical trials for mesothelioma, pegargiminase<strong> quadrupled 3-year survival rates<\/strong> and kept patients\u2019 tumors from growing and spreading.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"2\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">Is pegargiminase chemotherapy?<\/h3><div><p><strong>No<\/strong>, pegargiminase is not chemotherapy. It&#8217;s a targeted treatment designed to starve cancer cells by removing an amino acid they need to survive.<\/p>\n<p>Pegargiminase works differently from traditional chemotherapy, which directly kills fast-growing cells. It&#8217;s still being studied in clinical trials for mesothelioma and isn&#8217;t an approved treatment yet.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"3\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">What is ADI-PEG20?<\/h3><div><p>ADI-PEG20, also known as pegargiminase, is <strong>a drug used to treat mesothelioma<\/strong> by depleting arginine, an essential nutrient that many cancer cells need to grow.<\/p>\n<p>Some mesothelioma tumors lack the ability to produce arginine on their own, so ADI-PEG20 works by starving solid tumors of arginine, which can slow their growth and make them more vulnerable to treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Studies have shown that combining ADI-PEG20 with chemotherapy can improve mesothelioma survival rates and slow the progression of the disease, offering hope for better patient outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"faq\" data-faq=\"4\"><h3 class=\"faq-heading\">Who makes pegargiminase?<\/h3><div><p>Pegargiminase, marketed under the name ADI-PEG20, is manufactured by Polaris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.<\/p>\n<p>This company specializes in developing enzyme-based therapies for various cancers, including mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"What is the new drug for mesothelioma?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;While there are several new mesothelioma drugs being studied, &lt;strong&gt;pegargiminase (ADI-PEG20)&lt;\/strong&gt; is considered one of the most promising.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;In clinical trials for mesothelioma, pegargiminase&lt;strong&gt; quadrupled 3-year survival rates&lt;\/strong&gt; and kept patients\u2019 tumors from growing and spreading.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}},{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"Is pegargiminase chemotherapy?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No&lt;\/strong&gt;, pegargiminase is not chemotherapy. It&amp;#8217;s a targeted treatment designed to starve cancer cells by removing an amino acid they need to survive.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Pegargiminase works differently from traditional chemotherapy, which directly kills fast-growing cells. It&amp;#8217;s still being studied in clinical trials for mesothelioma and isn&amp;#8217;t an approved treatment yet.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}},{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"What is ADI-PEG20?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;ADI-PEG20, also known as pegargiminase, is &lt;strong&gt;a drug used to treat mesothelioma&lt;\/strong&gt; by depleting arginine, an essential nutrient that many cancer cells need to grow.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Some mesothelioma tumors lack the ability to produce arginine on their own, so ADI-PEG20 works by starving solid tumors of arginine, which can slow their growth and make them more vulnerable to treatment.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;Studies have shown that combining ADI-PEG20 with chemotherapy can improve mesothelioma survival rates and slow the progression of the disease, offering hope for better patient outcomes.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}},{\"@type\": \"Question\",\"name\": \"Who makes pegargiminase?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\": \"Answer\",\"text\": \"&lt;p&gt;Pegargiminase, marketed under the name ADI-PEG20, is manufactured by Polaris Pharmaceuticals, Inc.&lt;\/p&gt;\n&lt;p&gt;This company specializes in developing enzyme-based therapies for various cancers, including mesothelioma.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\"}}]}<\/script><style type=\"text\/css\">.faq-wrap{background:#E4F4F6;padding:20px 15px;margin:40px -15px}.faq-wrap:first-child{margin-top:0}.faq-wrap:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.faq-wrap .faq{background:#fff;padding:15px;border-radius:10px;box-shadow:0px 20px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.03);margin:15px 0 0 0}.faq-wrap .faq:first-child{margin-top:0}.faq-wrap .faq .faq-heading{color:#100134;font-size:21px;margin-bottom:15px}.faq-wrap .faq p{margin-bottom:20px;line-height:1.5}.faq-wrap .faq p:last-child{margin-bottom:0}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more{color:#248AFF;display:block;padding-right:17px;text-align:right;position:relative;line-height:1}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:visited{color:#248AFF}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:visited:hover,.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:hover{color:#34d}.faq-wrap .faq .learn-more:after{font-family:\"mesohope\" !important;speak:none;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-variant:normal;text-transform:none;line-height:1;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;-moz-osx-font-smoothing:grayscale;content:\"\\e905\";position:absolute;right:0;top:3px}h2.faq-wrap-heading{margin-bottom:25px}@media screen and (min-width: 768px){.faq-wrap{padding:25px 15px}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.faq-wrap{border-radius:10px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;padding:25px}.faq-wrap .faq{padding:25px}.faq-heading{font-size:24px}}<\/style><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is Pegargiminase a Breakthrough New Treatment for Mesothelioma? Yes, some doctors have called pegargiminase a breakthrough treatment for mesothelioma because of its ability to increase overall survival rates and prevent the cancer from progressing. In a clinical trial of nearly 250 mesothelioma patients, those who received pegargiminase combined with chemotherapy had a median overall survival&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"parent":128,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-25347","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25347"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/25347\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mesotheliomahope.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}