AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN) shares rose 2% to above 11,100p for the first time in a month after it hailed strong results from an ongoing trial on the effects of drug datopotamab deruxtecan in breast cancer patients.
According to the pharmaceutical giant, the drug showed a “statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement” on progression-free survival when compared with chemotherapy.
The TROPION-Breast01 Phase III trial targeted patients with inoperable or metastatic hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-low or negative breast cancer.
These patients had previously been treated with endocrine and systemic therapy, with the antibody drug geared toward those who had developed resistance to the other remedies.
“Today's TROPION-Breast01 news is a significant development for [those] patients,” AstraZeneca oncology vice president Susan Galbraith said.
“We are encouraged by these positive results.”
Results from the trial, which is ongoing and is in collaboration with Japanese firm Daiichi Sankyo, will be presented at an upcoming meeting.
“The positive topline results demonstrate the potential for datopotamab deruxtecan to become an important treatment option,” Daiichi Sankyo oncology head Ken Takeshita added.
“We look forward to realising the full potential of this [...] antibody drug conjugate across breast cancer subtypes through our ongoing Phase III programme.”