Trial: Imfinzi, AstraZeneca’s cancer drug, has failed in a key clinical trial
AstraZeneca suffered a blow after one of its cancer drugs failed in a key clinical trial.
The FTSE 100 pharmaceutical group, led by Pascal Soriot, said its Imfinzi treatment had failed to achieve its primary goal of helping to treat stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer when given alongside chemotherapy.
AstraZeneca added that the trial showed that the drug had not achieved a statistically significant improvement in patient survival rates compared to chemotherapy alone.
“We will learn from this trial,” said Susan Galbraith, head of oncology research at Astra.
AstraZeneca Share fell 0.6 per cent, or 62 pence, to 10,186 pence.
Imfinzi is approved in several countries to treat ailments including biliary tract cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of cancer more common in people with liver cirrhosis when the organ is scarred due to repeated damage.
Last week the group entered the race to develop a weight-loss drug after striking a £1.6bn deal with Chinese medical company Eccogene.
