This drug shows promise in extending bladder cancer patients' lives
What's the story
AstraZeneca's Imfinzi drug has shown significant potential in prolonging lives of patients with bladder cancer.
This breakthrough could potentially create a new market for the medicine.
An interim analysis of a late-stage trial revealed that when used alongside standard care like surgery, Imfinzi reduced risk of disease recurrence by 32% in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
The study involved 1,063 patients and demonstrated that the drug also lowered risk of death by a quarter, when combined with treatments like chemotherapy.
Treatment transformation
A game-changer in bladder cancer treatment
This is the first instance of an immunotherapy drug significantly improving overall survival in patients with this type of bladder cancer. The findings could revolutionize patient care if approved.
Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President of Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca, stated that after chemotherapy and surgery, about half of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer relapse.
She described the treatment regimen as "transformative," giving patients "a chance of a normal life for years."
Market impact
Shares rebound after Imfinzi's success
The positive data from the Imfinzi trial has bolstered AstraZeneca, following a period where the company's shares experienced their worst week in 14 months.
This downturn was due to an underwhelming update on its experimental lung cancer medicine, developed with Daiichi Sankyo Co.
The bladder cancer results were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Barcelona and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Financial forecast
Imfinzi's approval could boost AstraZeneca's annual revenue
Imfinzi, already approved for several other cancers including biliary tract, lung, and liver cancers, generated over $1.1 billion last quarter alone. This makes it AstraZeneca's second-biggest oncology earner.
If approved for this latest patient group, it could possibly generate an additional $500 million a year in revenue for AstraZeneca, according to Bloomberg Intelligence's Sam Fazeli.
Research progress
AstraZeneca's ongoing studies on Imfinzi
AstraZeneca is currently conducting four studies examining Imfinzi in different types of bladder cancer.
Dave Fredrickson, AstraZeneca's Executive Vice President of the Oncology Business Unit, described the combined market for all these indications as a "blockbuster plus business opportunity" for the company.
In the bladder cancer study, one group received standard care (chemotherapy and surgery), while another group was treated with standard care and Imfinzi, both before and after their surgery.