Roche’s Phase IIb prasinezumab study missed primary endpoint

Shares of Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX) dipped 2.3% to 249.10 francs by midday after it reported disappointing results from the Phase IIb PADOVA study investigating prasinezumab in 586 people with early-stage Parkinson’s disease, treated for a minimum of 18 months while on stable symptomatic treatment.

Roche noted that Prasinezumab showed potential clinical efficacy in the primary endpoint of time to confirmed motor progression with a HR=0.84 [0.69-1.01] and p=0.0657, but it missed statistical significance. In a pre-specified analysis, the effect of prasinezumab was more pronounced in the population treated with levodopa (75% of participants), HR=0.79 [0.63-0.99].

Consistent positive trends across multiple secondary and exploratory endpoints were also observed. Prasinezumab continues to be well tolerated and no new safety signals were observed in the study, said Roche.