Astrazeneca Plc Stock Price, News & Analysis

AstraZeneca presented new study results at ELCC 2025 reinforcing TAGRISSO® (osimertinib) as a cornerstone therapy for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Key findings include:

The LAURA Phase III trial showed improved overall survival trend with TAGRISSO vs placebo in unresectable Stage III setting (58.8 vs 54.1 months). The SAVANNAH Phase II trial demonstrated 56% response rate combining TAGRISSO with savolitinib in patients with high MET levels after disease progression. The ORCHARD trial showed promising results combining TAGRISSO with datopotamab deruxtecan-dlnk, achieving up to 43% response rate.

The FLAURA2 trial analysis revealed progression-free survival of over two years when combining TAGRISSO with chemotherapy. Safety profiles across all trials were consistent with established data, though monitoring is required for potential serious side effects including interstitial lung disease, QT interval prolongation, and cardiomyopathy.

IgniteData has partnered with AstraZeneca (AZN) and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) to implement its Archer platform in an ongoing Phase 3 study. The platform automates data transfer between hospital Electronic Health Records and sponsor Electronic Data Capture systems.

The collaboration, which began in 2021, follows successful pilot studies at University College London Hospitals and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Archer's system-agnostic design can map hundreds of data points per patient while maintaining data security and privacy.

The platform aims to reduce time spent on manual data entry, allowing researchers to focus more on clinical research. This implementation at Cambridge marks a significant step in scaling the technology across NHS and European hospitals for future clinical trials.

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.