Results of Astra's Lynparza Trial Positions It as New Standard -- Update
October 22 2018 - 08:16AM
Dow Jones News
(Adds analyst comment and context.)
By Carlo Martuscelli and Adria Calatayud
The latest data from a phase 3 clinical trial of cancer drug
Lynparza is positioning the medicine to become the standard of
treatment for patients suffering from ovarian cancer with a BRCA
gene mutation, analysts said.
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN)--which is developing the drug together
with Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK)--said Monday that Lynparza showed a
statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival
in the Solo-1 trial. The medicine cut the risk of disease
progression or death by 70% in patients with ovarian cancer. Some
60% of patients who received Lynparza remained progression-free at
three years, the pharmaceutical company said.
Lynparza is already approved as a treatment for advanced ovarian
cancer. The Solo-1 trial evaluated its efficacy in newly-diagnosed
patients following chemotherapy.
UBS called the results "hugely impressive" and went on to say
that the drug "will become the standard of care." The sentiment was
echoed by brokerage Jefferies, which said that the data should
establish Lynparza as the treatment of choice for ovarian cancer
patients with the BRCA mutation.
Lynparza is being investigated as a treatment for a number of
different types of tumors. On Tuesday, the U.S. Food & Drug
Administration granted orphan drug designation to Lynparza to treat
pancreatic cancer. Orphan status is given to medicines that aim to
treat rare diseases and provides benefits such as market
exclusivity and tax breaks.
Jefferies sees Lynparza sales for BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer at
around $1.6 billion in 2022, but says it might have to revise the
forecast upward given the strong results of the Solo-1 trial.
AstraZeneca shares at 1140 GMT were up 62 pence, or 1%, at 5,995
pence.
Write to Carlo Martuscelli at carlo.martuscelli@dowjones.com and
Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayudvaello@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 22, 2018 08:01 ET (12:01 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2018 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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