AstraZeneca Imfinzi, Lynparza combo improves progression-free survival in ovarian cancer trial
Roland Magnusson
AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) said a combination of Lynparza and Imfinzi improved progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with type of ovarian cancer in a phase 3 trial.
The late-stage study, dubbed DUO-O, evaluated Imfinzi (durvalumab), in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy and Roche's (OTCQX:RHHBY) (OTCQX:RHHBF) Avastin (bevacizumab) followed by maintenance treatment with Imfinzi and bevacizumab with or without Lynparza (olaparib) in newly diagnosed patients with advanced high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer without tumor BRCA mutations.
The main goal of the study is PFS for Group 3 compared to Group 1. PFS is the length of time during/after treatment a patient lives with the disease without it getting worse.
The British pharma giant said that an interim analysis, the combination of Lynparza, Imfinzi, chemotherapy and bevacizumab showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS, compared to chemotherapy plus bevacizumab (control arm).
In an additional group, Imfinzi, chemo plus bevacizumab showed a numerical improvement in PFS compared to the control group but did not reach statistical significance at the interim analysis.
AstraZeneca noted that the overall survival (OS) and other secondary goals were immature and will be assessed later.
"These data from the DUO-O trial provide encouraging evidence for this Lynparza and Imfinzi combination in patients without tumour BRCA mutations and reinforce our continued commitment to finding new treatment approaches for these patients. It will be important to understand the key secondary endpoints as well as data for relevant subgroups," said Susan Galbraith, executive vice president, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca.
The safety and tolerability of the combinations were broadly consistent with that seen in previous studies, according to the company.
In the trial, patients were divided in 3 groups: Arm 1 (control) received induction therapy with platinum-based chemo in combination with bevacizumab and placebo followed by maintenance therapy with bevacizumab plus placebo.
Group 2 received induction therapy with platinum-based chemo in combination with bevacizumab and Imfinzi followed by maintenance Imfinzi and bevacizumab plus placebo.
Group 3 received induction therapy with platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab and Imfinzi followed by maintenance Imfinzi and bevacizumab plus Lynparza.
AstraZeneca jointly develops and sells Lynparza with Merck (NYSE:MRK).
AZN +1.48% to $71.29 premarket April 5