Astrazeneca Plc Stock Price, News & Analysis

AstraZeneca (AZN) has partnered with national sports broadcaster and cancer survivor Erin Andrews to launch the 'Get Body Checked Against Cancer' campaign, aimed at promoting early cancer detection. The initiative includes the release of a -edition t-shirt called SCREEN under Andrews' WEAR by EA brand, available at NHLshop.com and the NHL Flagship Store in NYC.

The campaign supports Hockey Fights Cancer™, a joint initiative with the NHL and NHLPA. AstraZeneca has already donated $500,000 to the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The company is also introducing the Body Check Cup, a league-wide challenge running from March 6 to April 7, where NHL team fans can pledge to discuss cancer screenings with their doctors.

A concerning statistic reveals that 65% of Americans aged 21 and older are not up to date on at least one routine cancer screening, highlighting the campaign's importance in promoting proactive healthcare.

AstraZeneca announced positive results from the MATTERHORN Phase III trial evaluating IMFINZI® (durvalumab) in combination with FLOT chemotherapy for resectable early-stage gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers.

The trial demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in event-free survival (EFS) when using IMFINZI plus chemotherapy before and after surgery, followed by IMFINZI monotherapy. The study also showed a strong trend favoring IMFINZI in overall survival at interim analysis.

Notably, the IMFINZI combination more than doubled the pathologic complete response rate (19% versus 7%) compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone. The safety profile remained consistent with known profiles of each medicine, with no new safety findings.

This marks the first Phase III trial demonstrating superior EFS with immunotherapy combination in this setting. The disease affects nearly one million people globally annually, with approximately 62,000 new diagnoses expected in the US, EU, and Japan by 2030 in early-stage and locally advanced cases.

ENHERTU has achieved a significant milestone in treating HER2 positive metastatic gastric cancer, demonstrating superior efficacy in the DESTINY-Gastric04 phase 3 trial. The study showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival compared to ramucirumab and paclitaxel in second-line treatment.

The trial's Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended unblinding based on ENHERTU's superior efficacy. This marks a historic achievement as ENHERTU becomes the first HER2-directed medicine to show survival improvement in a randomized phase 3 trial for second-line metastatic gastric cancer treatment.

Currently approved in over 65 countries based on previous trials (DESTINY-Gastric01, 02, and 06), ENHERTU's safety profile in DESTINY-Gastric04 remains consistent with established data. The detailed results will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and shared with global regulatory authorities.

TEZSPIRE demonstrated significant positive results in its Phase III WAYPOINT trial for treating chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). The trial showed the drug reduced nasal polyp severity and nasal congestion compared to placebo, with improvements observed as early as week two and sustained through week 52.

Key findings include a 98% reduction in the need for nasal polyp surgery and an 88% reduction in systemic corticosteroid treatment requirements. The drug achieved statistically significant improvements in Nasal Polyp Score (-2.065) and Nasal Congestion Score (-1.028) at week 52.

The treatment was generally well tolerated, with common adverse events including COVID-19, nasopharyngitis, and upper respiratory tract infection. The safety profile aligned with its approved severe asthma indication. Regulatory filings for TEZSPIRE in CRSwNP are currently under review in multiple regions.

ENHERTU (trastuzumab deruxtecan) has received CHMP recommendation for EU approval as a monotherapy for patients with unresectable or metastatic HR positive, HER2 low or ultralow breast cancer. The recommendation is based on the DESTINY-Breast06 phase 3 trial results, which demonstrated:

- 38% reduction in disease progression/death risk vs chemotherapy
- Median progression-free survival of 13.2 months vs 8.1 months with chemotherapy
- Objective response rate of 56.5% vs 32.2% with chemotherapy
- Similar benefits observed in HER2 ultralow population

The safety profile aligned with previous trials, with notable adverse events including neutropenia (20.7%), leukopenia (6.9%), and anemia (5.8%). Interstitial lung disease occurred in 11.3% of patients, mostly low-grade.

AstraZeneca (AZN) announced positive interim results from the SERENA-6 Phase III trial for camizestrant, their next-generation oral SERD treatment for HR-positive breast cancer. The trial demonstrated highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival when combining camizestrant with CDK4/6 inhibitors.

The study evaluated switching to camizestrant combination versus continuing standard aromatase inhibitor treatment in 1st-line treatment of HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer patients with emergent ESR1 mutations. The trial enrolled 315 patients and used a novel ctDNA-guided approach to detect endocrine resistance early.

While secondary endpoints including overall survival were immature at interim analysis, the treatment showed promising trends in time to second disease progression. The safety profile was consistent with known data, with low discontinuation rates across both arms.

SOPHiA GENETICS (Nasdaq: SOPH) has announced significant adoption of its MSK-ACCESS® and MSK-IMPACT® cancer testing applications powered by SOPHiA DDM™. Thirty-seven prominent institutions globally have adopted these recently launched Liquid Biopsy and Solid Tumor applications, with thirty-four specifically choosing MSK-ACCESS® within ten months of its launch.

Notable adopters include Heidelberg University Hospital, Hospital del Mar, Jewish General Hospital, and the Jiménez Díaz Foundation. The decentralized deployment enables institutions to conduct world-renowned testing in-house, offering less-invasive options for patients with potentially lower costs and faster turnaround times.

This milestone follows SOPHiA GENETICS' 2023 partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and their October 2024 agreement with AstraZeneca to accelerate MSK-ACCESS® deployment globally. The company launched MSK-IMPACT® for Solid Tumor testing in November 2024.

AstraZeneca's IMFINZI (durvalumab) demonstrated significant improvements in a post-hoc exploratory analysis of the NIAGARA Phase III trial for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The perioperative regimen, combining IMFINZI with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, showed improved event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) versus chemotherapy alone.

Key findings include:

• 42% risk reduction in disease progression for patients achieving pathologic complete response (pCR)
• 33% reduction in risk of distant metastases
• 31% reduction in risk of death specifically due to bladder cancer
• 10% improvement in pCR rate versus comparator arm

The treatment was generally well-tolerated with no new safety signals. IMFINZI received Priority Review in the US in December 2024, with regulatory applications under review in EU, Japan, and other countries.

Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease has launched an interactive e-book titled 'Revealing the Secrets of aHUS' to help children understand atypical Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (aHUS), a rare kidney disease affecting 0.4-0.5 people per million. The storybook, developed in collaboration with Kidney Care UK and Newcastle National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre, targets children aged 6-10.

The interactive book transforms complex medical information into an engaging adventure where readers become the 'Guardian of Healthoria.' Children can personalize their character and complete various challenges while learning about kidneys, the immune system, and aHUS management. The resource is available across multiple platforms, including laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and print.

The initiative addresses a significant need, as 3.5 million people in the UK live with rare diseases, with 75% of these conditions affecting children. The book focuses on four key areas: the patient journey, kidney function, emotional support, and the daily impact of aHUS.