No recommendation
No news or research item is a personal recommendation to deal. Hargreaves Lansdown may not share ShareCast's (powered by Digital Look) views.
(Sharecast News) - UK pharma group AstraZeneca on Thursday reported positive results from the Phase III VOLGA trial for its Imfinzi bladder cancer treatment.
High-level results from a planned interim analysis of the trial showed "meaningful improvements" in survival rates for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients using Infinzi, otherwise known as durvalumab, AstraZeneca said.
Around one in four patients bladder cancer suffers from MIBC, where tumours invade the muscle wall of the bladder, though up to half of patients are ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy due to impaired renal function or comorbidities.
Removing the entire bladder - known as radical cystectomy - is the standard option for patients, but they can experience high rates of recurrence and have a poor prognosis, the company explained.
"Perioperative treatment with Imfinzi in combination with neoadjuvant enfortumab vedotin (EV) demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with MIBC versus standard of care," the firm said.
Meanwhile, Imfinzi plus Imjudo (tremelimumab), in combination with neoadjuvant EV, showed clinically meaningful improvements in EFS and a "favourable trend" for OS, though the OS data was not statistically significant enough at the interim analysis stage.
Commenting on the interim analysis, Susan Galbraith, the executive vice president of oncology haematology R&D at AstraZeneca, said: "Together with NIAGARA and POTOMAC, VOLGA is our third positive readout in bladder cancer, setting a strong foundation for Imfinzi as the immunotherapy backbone in this early-stage, curative-intent setting."
AZN shares were up 0.3% at 13,808p by 1013 BST.
See the latest RNS at Investegate.
The value of investments can go down in value as well as up, so you could get back less than you invest. It is therefore important that you understand the risks and commitments. This website is not personal advice based on your circumstances. So you can make informed decisions for yourself we aim to provide you with the best information, best service and best prices. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment please contact us for advice.