Results of Astra's Lynparza Trial Positions It as New Standard -- Update

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By Carlo Martuscelli and Adria Calatayud

The latest data from a phase 3 clinical trial of cancer drug Lynparza is positioning the medicine to become the standard of treatment for patients suffering from ovarian cancer with a BRCA gene mutation, analysts said.

AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN)--which is developing the drug together with Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK)--said Monday that Lynparza showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival in the Solo-1 trial. The medicine cut the risk of disease progression or death by 70% in patients with ovarian cancer. Some 60% of patients who received Lynparza remained progression-free at three years, the pharmaceutical company said.

Lynparza is already approved as a treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. The Solo-1 trial evaluated its efficacy in newly-diagnosed patients following chemotherapy.

UBS called the results "hugely impressive" and went on to say that the drug "will become the standard of care." The sentiment was echoed by brokerage Jefferies, which said that the data should establish Lynparza as the treatment of choice for ovarian cancer patients with the BRCA mutation.

Lynparza is being investigated as a treatment for a number of different types of tumors. On Tuesday, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration granted orphan drug designation to Lynparza to treat pancreatic cancer. Orphan status is given to medicines that aim to treat rare diseases and provides benefits such as market exclusivity and tax breaks.

Jefferies sees Lynparza sales for BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer at around $1.6 billion in 2022, but says it might have to revise the forecast upward given the strong results of the Solo-1 trial.

AstraZeneca shares at 1140 GMT were up 62 pence, or 1%, at 5,995 pence.

Write to Carlo Martuscelli at [e-mail] and Adria Calatayud at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 22, 2018 08:01 ET (12:01 GMT)

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