ESMO 2020: Positive Phase III Bladder 100 trial results with Bavencio

Results from the Phase III JAVELIN Bladder 100 study have been published in The New England Journal of Medicine with additional analyses being presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress 2020 and describe the efficacy of Bavencio (avelumab) as a first-line maintenance treatment across various subgroups of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) and highlight exploratory biomarkers as well as patient-reported outcomes.

Bavencio is under development by Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE), whose shares were up nearly 2% at 126.45 euros by mid-afternoon, and US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE).

In June, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Bavencio for the maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC that has not progressed with first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy based on the JAVELIN Bladder 100 results.