AZN AstraZeneca PLC

By Carlo Martuscelli 
 

AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN) said Wednesday that a phase 3 trial of its cancer drug Lynparza showed that the treatment was successful in improving progression-free survival for women with advanced ovarian cancer with a mutation in the BRCA gene.

The company said that it, along with its partner Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK), plans discussions with health authorities for regulatory submission.

The pharmaceutical company said the drug showed a statistically meaningful improvement in patients with the disease compared with placebo for progression-free survival.

Chief Medical Officer Sean Bohen said data from the study, called SOLO-1, underscores the importance of knowing the status of the BRCA gene at diagnosis, as it might allow women to receive medication earlier.

BRCA is a gene responsible for DNA repair, that when mutated can cause increase the likelihood of cancer.

Lynparza is a drug being jointly developed by AstraZeneca and Merck. It is already approved for ovarian cancer and metastatic breast cancer.

Write to Carlo Martuscelli at carlo.martuscelli@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 27, 2018 02:33 ET (06:33 GMT)

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