AstraZeneca reported positive survival results from a late stage trial of Tagrisso (osimertinib) in previously untreated patients with a type of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
Tagrisso showed a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement.
The FLAURA trial met its primary endpoint in July 2017, showing a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement in progression-free survival, increasing the time patients lived without disease progression or death from any cause.
José Baselga, executive vice president, Oncology R&D said: “Today’s positive results show that Tagrisso provides an unprecedented survival outcome versus previous standard-of-care epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, reaffirming Tagrisso as the 1st-line standard-of-care for EGFR-mutated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.”
No specifics on survival periods were reported. More detailed findings are expected at an upcoming conference.
Tagrisso is currently approved in 74 countries, including the US, Japan and the EU.
Cost for 30-pills, with a discount, runs more than $5,000 That figure can vary depending on insurance coverage and use of AstraZeneca’s assistance program.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women, accounting for about one-fifth of all cancer deaths, more than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined.
AstraZeneca has 1,500 employees in Delaware.
