In the wake of unexpectedly positive clinical results from a trial testing the folfirinox chemotherapy regimen in patients with pancreatic cancer, after surgery, Targovax ASA has decided to drop development of its therapeutic vaccine for this indication.
Two Phase 3 trials of the candidate Alzheimer’s drug lanabecestat have been stopped for futility, Eli Lilly and Company and AstraZeneca Plc announced on 12 June. Lanabecestat is an inhibitor of the beta secretase cleaving enzyme (BACE), which plays a role in the production of the amyloid beta protein. The accumulation of this protein in the brain is believed to be a major cause of Alzheimer’s disease.
AstraZeneca Plc’s biologic drug for respiratory disease, Fasenra (benralizumab), has failed a second Phase 3 trial in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As a result, the company said it will not to make a regulatory submission for this indication.
An early clinical study of the monoclonal antibody daratumumab (Darzalex) in combination with the checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer has been stopped early because of lack of efficacy as well as safety issues, Genmab A/S announced on 26 May.
A multi-year study of the asthma drug Nucala (mepolizumab) has shown the treatment to be effective in asthma control and reducing acute episodes of the disease, according to GlaxoSmithKline Plc. The company disclosed the data on 20 May at a meeting of the American Thoracic Society.
Dupixent (dupilumab) has delivered positive results in a Phase 3 trial involving adolescents with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. The drug is already approved for the same disease in adults and is the first biologic to show a benefit in this patient group.
NOXXON Pharma NV has reported a promising response from a patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer to its RNA oligonucleotide drug that is intended to fight cancer by targeting the tumour microenvironment. The company gave the update on 16 May at the BioEquity Europe conference in Belgium.
AstraZeneca Plc’s antibody drug for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Fasenra (benralizumab), has failed to meet its primary endpoint in the first of two Phase 3 trials of patients with the disease.
A Phase 3 trial evaluating a combination of the checkpoint antibody Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and the kinase inhibitor Cotellic (cobimetinib) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer failed to meet its primary endpoint of overall survival, Roche announced on 10 May.
Recent positive data from a Phase 2b trial of patients with multiple sclerosis illustrates the role of pathogenic HERV-W protein in the genesis of the disease. The protein was neutralised by an antibody therapy developed by GeNeuro SA, the first time this has been shown in a clinical trial.