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In a significant development for breast cancer treatment, AstraZeneca PLC (LSE/STO/NASDAQ:LON:AZN), a pharmaceutical giant with a market capitalization of $207 billion and impressive 82% gross profit margins, announced today that its drug Enhertu, in combination with pertuzumab, has shown a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. This finding comes from a planned interim analysis of the DESTINY-Breast09 Phase III trial. According to InvestingPro data, AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) maintains a "GREAT" financial health score, positioning it strongly to advance its innovative drug pipeline.
The trial marks the first in over a decade to demonstrate superior efficacy across a broad patient population of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer compared to the current first-line standard of care. The results indicated that Enhertu, when combined with pertuzumab, improved PFS across all pre-specified patient subgroups. Although overall survival (OS) data is not yet mature, an early trend favors the Enhertu combination over the current standard of taxane, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (THP).
HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer is an aggressive form of the disease, affecting 15-20% of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Despite improvements due to HER2-targeted therapies, the prognosis remains poor, with many patients experiencing disease progression within two years of first-line treatment.
Susan Galbraith, Executive Vice President of Oncology Haematology R&D at AstraZeneca, emphasized the trial’s significance, suggesting that Enhertu in combination with pertuzumab could become an important first-line treatment option. Ken Takeshita, Global Head of R&D at Daiichi Sankyo, also highlighted the importance of effective HER2 targeting to achieve durable disease control.
The safety profile of the Enhertu and pertuzumab combination was consistent with the known profiles of each individual therapy. Enhertu, a HER2-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC) developed by Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca, is already approved in over 75 countries as a second-line treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer.
The data from the DESTINY-Breast09 trial will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting and shared with regulatory authorities. The trial’s second arm, which assesses Enhertu monotherapy versus THP, remains blinded and will continue to the final PFS analysis.
This announcement is based on a press release statement and reflects the latest advancements in AstraZeneca’s efforts to improve cancer treatment outcomes. The company’s strong market position is supported by an 18% revenue growth in the last twelve months, though its stock currently trades near its 52-week low, suggesting potential value opportunity according to InvestingPro analysis. With earnings scheduled for April 29, investors can access comprehensive analysis and additional insights through InvestingPro’s detailed research reports, available for over 1,400 US-listed companies.
In other recent news, AstraZeneca has reported several significant developments. BNP Paribas (OTC:BNPQY) Exane has initiated coverage of AstraZeneca with an Outperform rating and a price target of GBP115. Analyst Peter Verdult is optimistic about AstraZeneca’s growth potential, projecting revenue and earnings per share growth rates that surpass consensus estimates. AstraZeneca’s shareholders have approved all resolutions at the company’s Annual General Meeting, including the confirmation of interim dividends and the reappointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the auditor.
Additionally, AstraZeneca has received European Union approval for its drug Imfinzi, combined with chemotherapy, for treating a specific form of lung cancer. This approval is based on the AEGEAN Phase III trial results, which highlighted a significant reduction in disease progression risk. The European Union has also approved AstraZeneca’s drug Enhertu for treating a particular type of metastatic breast cancer, following successful outcomes in the DESTINY-Breast06 Phase III trial.
In financial news, AstraZeneca disclosed its total voting rights as of March 31, 2025, confirming an issued share capital of 1,550,623,487 ordinary shares. These recent developments reflect AstraZeneca’s ongoing efforts in expanding its treatment portfolio and maintaining robust governance practices.
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