(Alliance News) - AstraZeneca PLC on Tuesday announced a collaboration with genomic analysis company ArcherDX focused on minimal residual disease detection in early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer.
The collaboration will focus on Astra's newly launched phase 3 Mermaid-1 trial of Imfinzi plus chemotherapy versus just chemotherapy in patients with completely resected stage 2 and 3 non-small cell lung cancer who are a high risk of relapse. The primary endpoint is disease-free survival with evidence of minimal residual disease.
Drug maker Astra explained that the collaboration will involve using personalised cancer monitoring to detect minimal residual disease - minimal residual disease being the "very small number of otherwise undetectable cancer cells that shed circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in the blood".
ArcherDX will sequence the whole exome of patient samples to create personalised ctDNA assays which will be able to test for minimal residual disease remaining after successful surgery.
Jose Baselga, executive vice president of Oncology R&D at Astra, said: "While detecting and monitoring for minimal residual disease has proven challenging in solid tumours, the Mermaid-1 trial and this partnership stand to break new ground in lung cancer. This innovative endeavour is reflective of our strategy to improve cancer outcomes by treating patients as early as possible. It is in this early setting that the chance of cure is higher and identifying personalised, effective treatments could increase survival and improve quality of life."
Imfinzi is currently being tested in lung cancer, with a number of ongoing phase 3 trials in earlier stages of non-small cell lung cancer.
AstraZeneca shares were down 1.3% at 8,878.00 pence in London on Tuesday morning.
By Anna Farley; annafarley@alliancenews.com
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