AstraZeneca's Imfinzi trial shows 'significantly improved' event-free survival rates

Drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Thursday that results from a phase III trial on its resectable non-small cell lung cancer treatment had shown a "significantly improved" event-free survival.

AstraZeneca said results of the Imfinzi trial showed that treatment with the drug both before and after surgery "significantly increased" the time patients live without recurrence or progression events.

Results from the final pathologic complete response and major pathologic response analyses were consistent with previously announced positive results, and the trial will continue as planned to assess key secondary endpoints including disease-free survival and overall survival.

AstraZeneca'a Susan Galbraith said: "Patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer face unacceptably high rates of recurrence, despite treatment with chemotherapy and surgery. We have shown that adding Imfinzi both before and after surgery significantly increased the time patients live without recurrence or progression events. We will continue to follow patients for overall survival."

As of 0910 GMT, AstraZeneca shares were up 0.50% at 10,876.0p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com