AstraZeneca lung cancer drug offers hope for patients

A “PIONEERING” lung cancer drug has been found to significantly improve survival rates among patients, in what scientists have described as a breakthrough.

AstraZeneca said late-stage trial results for its Imfinzi drug showed the treatment was able to meaningfully improve survival rates and stop the disease progressing for those with limited-stage small cell lung cancer who had previously received chemoradiotherapy.

It said those diagnosed with this highly aggressive form of cancer typically have a very poor chance of survival. The disease often recurs and progresses rapidly despite initially responding to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Research suggests that only 15pc to 30pc of people who are diagnosed with limited-stage small cell lung cancer survive for five years after diagnosis. Suresh Senan, a professor of clinical experimental radiotherapy at the Amsterdam University Medical Centre who was involved in the trial, said the standard of care for people with this form of cancer had remained unchanged for decades.

She said the Imfinzi trial data marked “a breakthrough for patients with this devastating disease”.

AstraZeneca’s oncology chief Susan Galbraith said the results underscored the “pioneering role of Imfinzi in the treatment of early lung cancer following chemoradiotherapy”.

The latest findings come amid a growing focus at AstraZeneca on cancer care. It has been bolstering its pipeline of drugs with an ambition to become the top oncology company.

Speaking to The Telegraph in 2022, AstraZeneca bosses said they would double the company’s portfolio of new cancer drugs by the end of decade.

Pascal Soriot, the chief executive, said this work was coming to the fore because there was a growing need for treatments, given the pandemic had created significant NHS backlogs and delays in diagnosing cancer cases.

More than a third of AstraZeneca’s revenues come from its cancer drugs.