No denying MYSTIC importance, big pharma CEO admits

12 June 2017

Positive results could propel the company into the top tier of immuno-oncology drugmakers, pharma’s fastest developing space, but a bad outcome could leave its status as a big pharma player in serious doubt.

That is what analysts and investors have been saying for months about AstraZeneca’s (LSE: AZN) MYSTIC lung cancer trial into a combination treatment of the immunotherapy drugs Imfinzi (durvalumab) and tremelimumab, but now the Anglo-Swedish company’s chief executive has admitted the importance of the study.

Talking to The Financial Times, chief executive Pascal Soriot said that failure in the trial would be a “substantial setback” for AstraZeneca which could send the company’s share price downwards.

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