Pfizer Stock Surges as Braftovi Trial Shows Promising Cancer Therapy Results
1min read Pfizer Inc. recently announced promising results for its colorectal cancer therapy, Braftovi (encorafenib), in combination treatment regimens. In the pivotal Phase III BREAKWATER trial, the combination therapy demonstrated substantial clinical benefits, including significant tumor reduction, as detailed by the New York-based pharmaceutical giant.
The detailed results revealed that the objective response rate (ORR) for the Braftovi combination regimen was 61%, a notably higher figure compared to the 40% ORR observed in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Furthermore, the median duration of response for patients receiving the combination therapy was 13.9 months, outperforming the chemotherapy group's median duration of 11.1 months.
The BREAKWATER study evaluates objective response rate as a dual primary endpoint. The ongoing trial is also assessing overall survival, a secondary endpoint, and progression-free survival, another dual primary endpoint, with results expected to be released this year. Braftovi, an oral small molecule kinase inhibitor, is co-marketed by Pfizer and Ono Pharmaceutical in Japan and South Korea, having gained FDA accelerated approval in December for treating BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).
The trial is investigating the efficacy of Braftovi in combination with Eli Lilly’s ERBITUX, with or without an additional cancer treatment regimen known as mFOLFOX6, targeting newly diagnosed patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC. This collaborative approach aims at addressing a challenging patient subgroup representing around 10% to 15% of colorectal cancer cases characterized by poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The scientific and therapeutic potential of BRAF inhibitors, like Braftovi, offers a new hope for improved outcomes in this setting.
This breakthrough highlights the scientific rationale for BRAF inhibitor combination therapies, potentially transforming the landscape for targeting resistant and previously difficult-to-treat colorectal cancer subtypes. The consistent safety profile observed across the constituent drug components further supports the potential commercial advancement of this novel therapy.
