WSW, NY, May 5th, 2026, FinanceWire
Alpha Tau Medical (NASDAQ: DRTS) reported a striking result in pancreatic cancer: every patient who could be evaluated in two clinical trials saw their tumor either shrink or stop growing after treatment with its Alpha DaRT therapy. The results were presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2026, one of the world’s top gastroenterology conferences, and it was the first time Alpha DaRT data earned an oral presentation at a major GI meeting.
The data came from two first-in-human trials at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Across all 19 patients who could be evaluated, the local disease control rate was 100% in this small, non-randomized pooled analysis. Four patients (21%) saw their tumors measurably shrink, while the remaining 15 (79%) had stable disease, meaning the treated tumor did not progress during the assessment period. What makes this especially notable is the range of patients: some were too sick to receive any chemotherapy, while others had already been through up to four prior rounds of treatment. The consistency across such a diverse group stands out.
The safety profile was just as encouraging. Out of 26 total patients treated, only seven (27%) experienced side effects related to the device, and all resolved within two weeks except for one case of lingering fatigue. These were heavily pretreated patients, many of whom had already undergone multiple prior therapies.
Why This Matters for Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers in existence, with a five-year survival rate of roughly 13%. Most patients are already inoperable by the time they are diagnosed. Standard radiation therapy must pass through healthy tissue to reach the tumor, which limits how much radiation can be safely delivered and can suppress the immune system—an issue as many newer cancer treatments rely on immune function.
Alpha DaRT takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of delivering radiation from outside the body, it places tiny sources coated with radium-224 directly inside the tumor. As the radium decays, radioactive daughter atoms diffuse within the tumor and emit short-range alpha radiation, destroying nearby cancer cells while largely sparing surrounding healthy tissue. For pancreatic cancer, the sources are placed using endoscopic ultrasound, a minimally invasive procedure already widely used by gastroenterologists.
Building a Comprehensive Pancreatic Cancer Program
The DDW presentation is the latest in a series of data readouts for Alpha Tau’s pancreatic cancer program. In January, the company presented results from a larger, separate pancreatic cancer study in Montreal at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, reporting an 81% disease control rate across 32 patients. That study also showed that key immune markers remained stable after treatment, suggesting Alpha DaRT could potentially be combined with immune-based therapies such as checkpoint inhibitors without the immune suppression often associated with conventional radiation.
Later this month, Alpha Tau plans to present combined results from all three pancreatic cancer studies, encompassing 58 patients, at the ASCO Annual Meeting. The abstract is expected to publish on May 21. Acceptance at ASCO GI, DDW, and ASCO Annual Meeting suggests growing scientific visibility for the program, though the clinical evidence remains early-stage.
On the trial front, the company’s U.S. multicenter IMPACT trial, which tests Alpha DaRT combined with chemotherapy in newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients, recently expanded after the FDA approved a second chemotherapy combination, bringing the total planned enrollment to 40 patients. Alpha Tau also recently treated its first patient in a new multicenter trial in France testing Alpha DaRT combined with capecitabine in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer who have completed first-line chemotherapy, a population with limited established treatment options.
Beyond Pancreatic Cancer
Alpha Tau’s clinical program extends beyond pancreatic cancer. The company is running multiple FDA-authorized U.S. trials across indications including skin, pancreatic, brain, and prostate cancers, and holds Breakthrough Device Designations from the FDA for several of these programs. Its lead skin cancer trial continues to advance, and the company has submitted the first module of its Pre-Market Approval application to the FDA, a step toward potential U.S. commercialization. In Japan, Alpha Tau received marketing approval in February 2026 for Alpha DaRT in head and neck cancer, its first regulatory approval outside of Israel.
Alpha Tau’s New Hampshire manufacturing facility, licensed in late 2025, is designed to produce approximately 400,000 Alpha DaRT sources per year for potential U.S. commercial use.
The Bigger Picture
Large pharmaceutical companies have been investing heavily in targeted radiation. Bristol Myers Squibb acquired RayzeBio for $4.1 billion, AstraZeneca acquired Fusion Pharmaceuticals for roughly $2 billion, and Novartis has invested billions across multiple radiopharmaceutical deals. These companies primarily focus on systemically delivered radiation therapies, while Alpha Tau’s approach targets tumors locally from within. The scale of recent investment signals growing strategic interest in the broader field of targeted radiation.
With 100% local disease control in its latest pancreatic data, 58 patients expected in its upcoming ASCO presentation, expanding trials, and a growing regulatory footprint, Alpha Tau’s evidence base continues to build. Whether that translates into partnerships, regulatory approvals, or commercial success remains to be seen, but the trajectory warrants attention.
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