(Alliance News) - AstraZeneca PLC late Tuesday reported robust results from the phase three Topaz-1 trial of Imfinzi for the treatment of advanced biliary tract cancer, compared to solely chemotherapy.
Biliary tract cancer is a rare and aggressive form of cancer which occurs in the bile ducts and gallbladder.
The Cambridge, England-based pharmaceutical company said that during the trial, patients treated with Imfinzi in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapy showed a 20% reduction in the risk of death against chemotherapy alone, as well as a 25% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death.
In addition, patients treated with imfinzi achieved an objective response rate of 26.7%, compared to an ORR of 18.7% for chemotherapy alone.
"The results from the TOPAZ-1 trial challenge treatment expectations in advanced biliary tract cancer and provide compelling evidence that longer-term survival is possible. Overall survival improves over time with an estimated one in four patients on Imfinzi plus chemotherapy alive at two years compared to one in ten on chemotherapy alone. This is a potential new standard of care for patients in this setting and we remain committed to making advances in gastrointestinal cancers with high unmet need," said Susan Galbraith, executive vice president of Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca.
By Dayo Laniyan; dayolaniyan@alliancenews.com
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Astrazeneca (AZN)