AstraZeneca leukaemia drug meets trial end-point

AstraZeneca said on Thursday its Calquence leukaemia drug had met the primary endpoint of a phase 3 trial and would allow it to file for regulatory approval later this year.

It said the drug showed meaningful improvement in patients with lymphocytic leukaemia when compared with a chemotherapy-based combination treatment.

Calquence in May met a primary endpoint early in a separate trial last month, AstraZeneca said in a statement.

AstraZeneca executive vice-president of oncology research and development José Baselga said the results from both trials “will serve as the foundation for regulatory submissions later this year".