AstraZeneca's Immuno-Agent Hoped To Compete In Cervical Cancers, Against Keytruda®. Fails Clinical Trial. Merck's Juggernaut Rolls On...

Merck has the most eviable position, globally, in the immuno-oncology space. Its Keytruda (pembrolizumab) has shown great efficacy in a wide array of cancers. It is credited with curing Jimmy Carter's brain cancer (which originated as melanoma). [This is yet another power alley we've covered since 2012 at least.]

AstraZeneca hoped to show clear and compelling efficacy, at least in cervical cancers -- and win approval to compete with Merck, in that arena.

That study just came in. . . and it was a. . . disappointing flunk. Here's the story from FiercePharma -- and a bit:

. . . .The roller coaster ride for AstraZeneca’s blockbuster cancer drug Imfinzi has taken a sudden dip, with a swing and a miss in cervical cancer.

On Thursday, the company said its phase 3 trial of Imfinzi combined with chemoradiotherapy failed to show that the drug could slow disease progression and extend the chance for survival better than chemoradiotherapy alone.

In this field, AZ had high hopes that Imfinizi could compete with Merck’s PD-L1 superstar Keytruda, which gained a first-line nod in combination with chemotherapy for persistent, recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer last October.

Cervical cancer is the eighth most common and ninth most deadly form of the disease. It's seen few advances over the years as the chemoradiotherapy standard-of-care treatment has not changed in more than two decades, AZ said. . . .

Now you know. Condor's take?

Merck will be able to undertake many a new research and capital improvement project in the coming years, as this perhaps $38 billion a year franchise rolls ever onward. Grin -- off to the museums on a sunny, warming Friday here. [That's just a slightly updated graphic, above. Why re-invent the wheel, right?]

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