GlaxoSmithKline Says Ovarian Cancer Study Validates Tesaro Acquisition

By Carlo Martuscelli 

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK.LN) Saturday reported positive results from a clinical trial of an ovarian cancer drug that a senior figure in the company said justified the decision to buy cancer specialist Tesaro for $4.16 billion.

Axel Hoos, head of oncology research at the FTSE 100-listed drugmaker, said the results of the phase 3 Prima study could change how women with ovarian cancer are treated going forward.

Data from the clinical trial showed that women with ovarian cancer could benefit from being treated with Glaxo's drug Zejula, regardless of whether they had specific genetic mutations.

The pharmaceutical giant picked up the drug as part of its takeover of Tesaro in December. At the time, some financial analysts criticized the company for overpaying for the acquisition, and shares of Glaxo slumped after the deal was disclosed. But Mr. Hoos told Dow Jones Newswires that these latest results show that the decision to buy the company was justified. "[Zejula] was the main reason for buying Tesaro," he said.

The study confirmed that Zejula worked particularly well in patients with a mutated BRCA gene, as well in those with other mutations that had a similar effect. Overall, they make up 50% of the population of women with ovarian cancer.

Treatment with PARP inhibitors, the class of drug that Zejula belongs to, has until recently been aimed at treating those with these mutations--limiting their uptake and requiring genetic testing. However, the trial showed that Zejula also had a clinically meaningful positive effect on the other half of women that don't test positive for those biological markers, though not to as great of an extent.

"This is a compound that provides benefit across the spectrum," said Mr. Hoos.

Data from the trial showed Zejula reduced the risk of the disease progressing in women with advanced ovarian cancer by 38% when compared with a placebo

He said that the drug could eventually become a standard treatment, administered along with surgery or chemotherapy, and without the inconvenience of having to administer special genetic tests.

Nearly 300,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, and it is the eight most common cancer for women around the world.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 28, 2019 15:44 ET (19:44 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.