Positive new data on Imfinzi in limited-stage SCLC

UK pharma major AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) today released positive high-level results of the ADRIATIC Phase III trial with its already blockbuster drug Imfinzi (durvalumab), which generate sales of $4.24 billion in 2023, up 52%.

The study demonstrated a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement in the dual primary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) who had not progressed following concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) compared to placebo after cCRT.

The company noted that small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive form of lung cancer that typically recurs and progresses rapidly despite initial response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in LS-SCLC patients. The prognosis is particularly poor for LS-SCLC, as only 15-30% of these patients will be alive five years after diagnosis.3