ArQule and Daiichi Sankyo drop tivantinib trial in NSCLC

3 October 2012

USA-based drug developer ArQule (Nasdaq: ARQL) saw its shares plunge 62% to $1.90 after, along with its partner Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo (TYO: 4568), announced they were halting a Phase III study in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) of its tivantinib after independent monitors concluded the drug would not meet its endpoint of prolonging overall patient survival.

The MARQUEE (Met inhibitor ARQ 197 plus Erlotinib vs Erlotinib plus placebo in NSCLC) trial, although showing a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, this benefit did not carry over to overall survival. There were no safety concerns identified by the DMC to Daiichi Sankyo or ArQule during this interim analysis.

MARQUEE is a randomized, double-blind, controlled pivotal trial to evaluate the investigational selective MET inhibitor, tivantinib (ARQ 197), in combination with erlotinib in previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic, non-squamous NSCLC.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free. A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Try before you buy

Free

7 day trial access

Take a Free Trial

All the news that moves the needle in pharma and biotech
Exclusive features, podcasts, interviews, data analyses and commentary from our global network of life sciences reporters.
Receive The Pharma Letter daily news bulletin, free forever.

Become a subscriber

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now

Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription

The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK