AstraZeneca's Investigational Cancer Drug Shows First-Line Benefit In Combination With Widely Used Cancer Medicines

AstraZeneca's investigational cancer drug, TRUQAP® (capivasertib), has demonstrated promising results when used in combination with abiraterone and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for the treatment of patients with PTEN-deficient de novo metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). The positive high-level results from the CAPItello-281 Phase III trial indicate that the combination therapy has the potential to become a new standard of care for this specific subtype of prostate cancer.

The combination of capivasertib with abiraterone and ADT showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in the primary endpoint of radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) compared to abiraterone and ADT with placebo. The median rPFS was 24.8 months for the combination therapy group compared to 16.6 months for the control group (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.51-0.78; p<0.0001). This represents a 37% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death. Additionally, the combination therapy showed an early trend towards an improvement in overall survival (OS) compared to the control group.

The safety profile of capivasertib in combination with abiraterone and ADT was broadly consistent with the known profile of each medicine. No new safety signals were observed, and the combination did not compromise patients' ability to complete surgery versus chemotherapy alone.

The regulatory landscape for this new combination therapy has the potential to significantly impact AstraZeneca's market position and future growth prospects. The positive results from the CAPItello-281 Phase III trial position AstraZeneca well to capture a larger share of the market and continue its growth trajectory in the oncology space. The approval of TRUQAP® in combination with abiraterone and ADT would provide patients with a new treatment option that has shown promise in improving outcomes for those with PTEN-deficient mHSPC.



In conclusion, AstraZeneca's investigational cancer drug, TRUQAP® (capivasertib), has shown promising results when used in combination with abiraterone and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for the treatment of patients with PTEN-deficient de novo metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). The combination therapy has the potential to become a new standard of care for this specific subtype of prostate cancer and could significantly impact AstraZeneca's market position and future growth prospects. Investors should closely monitor the regulatory approval process and the potential market opportunity for this new combination therapy.