First Phase III results for AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo's TROP2-directed ADC

Shares of UK pharma major AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) fell 5.5% to £10,652 this morning, after it released new data from the TROPION-Lung01 Phase III trial of its TROP2-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd), which is being developed under a deal with Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo (TYO: 4568).

The study demonstrated a statistically-significant improvement for the dual primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS) compared to docetaxel, the current standard of care chemotherapy, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with at least one prior therapy.

Analysts at Barclays and Credit Suisse said shareholders will be concerned that AstraZeneca did not declare its results “clinically meaningful” in its press release, and hoped it would be as good as Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), an already approve cancer drug -also developed with Daiichi Sankyo, which is transforming the care of some cancer patients, especially in breast cancer. The company also reported some deaths in the trial, raising safety concerns.