By Joe Hoppe

AstraZeneca PLC said Friday that new trial results show its Imfinzi and Enhertu products improved survivability rates in cancer patients.

The U.K. drug maker said that its Imfinzi treatment for small cell lung cancer shows a sustained overall survival benefit in its phase 3 trial, while its Enhertu treatment for gastric cancer showed an improved tumor response rate, and improved overall survival in its phase 2 trial.

AstraZeneca said that 11% of patients on Imfinzi and chemotherapy had not had their cancer progress after two years and remained on treatment at home, compared to 2.9% of patients who stayed on chemotherapy alone. The company said that patients treated with Imfinzi and chemotherapy maintained a 25% lower risk of death than those on chemotherapy alone.

The second phase of the Enhertu trial showed an overall survival improvement for previously treated metastatic gastric cancer, with a 41% reduction in the risk of death on Enhertu compared to those on chemotherapy, AstraZeneca said. The trial showed an overall median survival of 12.5 months on Enhertu compared to 8.4 months on chemotherapy, the company said, while tumor response rates on Enhertu rose to 42.9% from 12.5% on chemotherapy.

Shares at 1226 GMT were up 225 pence, or 3%, at 8923 pence.

Write to Joe Hoppe at joseph.hoppe@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 29, 2020 08:52 ET (12:52 GMT)