AstraZeneca's Imfinzi improves patient survival in lung cancer trial
AstraZeneca on Monday reported that its Imfinzi drug had improved overall survival by almost three months in patients with late-stage small cell lung cancer in a recent trial.
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The pharmaceutical giant said that, when used in combination with four cycles of chemotherapy, Imfinzi demonstrated a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement in survival when pitted against a course of up to six cycles of chemotherapy and other radiation treatment.
Following treatment with Imfinzi and chemotherapy, 33.9% of patients were alive at 18 months, while only 24.7% of patients survived for that long following without the drug.
The FTSE 100-listed company's drug also achieved a median overall survival of 13.0 months, while median survival was just 10.3 months for the alternative course of treatment.
Imfinzi, which has been approved for previously-treated patients with advanced bladder cancer in 10 countries, works by helping the body's immune system to combat certain cancer cells.
Luis Paz-Ares, principal investigator in the phase III trial, said: "Patients have had limited treatment options for small cell lung cancer, a devastating disease where the five-year survival rate has been as low as 6%. The significant survival benefit demonstrated with Imfinzi combined with only four cycles of a choice of chemotherapy compared to a robust control arm, provides evidence and hope of a new treatment option for these patients."
AstraZeneca shares were down 2.47% at 7,076.00p at 1409 BST.