25th Jun 2024 09:47
(Alliance News) - AstraZeneca PLC on Tuesday reported mixed results from probes of its key cancer drug Imfinzi, with the medication succeeding in a bladder cancer trial but falling short in non-small cell lung cancer.
The Cambridge-based pharmaceutical company said Imfinzi met both its primary and secondary aims in a trial on sufferers of bladder cancer.
Imfinzi showed a "statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement" in event-free survival, meeting its primary endpoint, the company said.
Event-free survival is the length of time after a treatment ends that the patient remains free of complications. The secondary endpoint of improved overall survival versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy was also met.
The findings came from the Niagara Phase III trial which involved 1,063 patients in 22 countries.
"The Niagara results support our strategy to move immunotherapy to the early stages of cancer treatment. This perioperative regimen with Imfinzi improved survival and reduced the rate at which patients experience disease recurrence or progression. We are eager to bring this regimen with the potential to transform the standard of care to patients as soon as possible," Astra's Oncology R&D Executive Vice President Susan Galbraith said.
Less promisingly, in another trial, Imfinzi did not achieve "statistical significance for the primary endpoint of disease-free survival" versus placebo among non-small cell lung cancer sufferers.
Galbraith said the firm was "disappointed" by the results.
"Imfinzi has helped change the treatment landscape and achieved multiple positive Phase III trials for patients with earlier stages of lung cancer. We are committed to addressing the remaining unmet need in lung cancer through our broad development programme," Galbraith added.
The opportunity for Imfinzi is still strong despite the study blow, Shore Capital Markets analysts commented.
"Whilst this result is disappointing, we highlight there still remains a raft of separate studies ongoing that are also looking move Imfinzi into earlier treatment lines of lung cancer," Shore said.
"Imfinzi has increasingly become an important driver of growth over recent quarters, supported by launches into new indications. These two pieces of news today follow a raft of positive readouts and approvals for Imfinzi across a range of cancer types that have stimulated a strong uptick in sales momentum."
Shore rates AstraZeneca at 'buy'.
The stock traded 0.3% higher at 12,520.00 pence each in London on Tuesday morning.
By Eric Cunha, Alliance News news editor
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