Last checked at 
(Alliance News) - Hutchmed China Ltd on Thursday said that its fruquintinib treatment reduced risk of death by 34% in metastatic colorectal cancer patients.
The Hong Kong-based biopharmaceutical company said that the results are based on a 691-patient, multi-regional clinical trial of fruquintinib, called the MRCT FRESCO-2 study. CRC is a cancer that starts in either the colon or rectum. It is the third most common cancer worldwide.
The study demonstrated that treatment with fruquintinib resulted in a "statistically significant and clinically meaningful" increase in the primary overall survival endpoint and key secondary progression-free survival endpoint compared to treatment with placebo.
Hutchmed noted that the treatment reduced the risk of death by 34% in metastatic colorectal cancer and increased disease control with risk of disease progression or death reduced by 68%.
"These results are exciting and encouraging for patients and healthcare providers alike since they address a huge unmet need in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. Fruquintinib provides a possible new treatment option with a meaningful survival benefit and manageable toxicity profile," said Arvind Dasari, associate professor at the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Shares in Hutchmed were up 0.8% to 214.09 pence each in London on Thursday morning.
By Sophie Rose; sophierose@alliancenews.com
Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
