Drug reduces breast cancer recurrence by 25% – 02/06/2023 – Health

Novartis’ breast cancer drug Kisqali reduced the risk of recurrence by just over 25% in a crucial trial in women diagnosed at an early stage, positioning the Swiss drugmaker to win new patients and challenge fierce rival Eli Lilly.

The company said on Friday that the relative risk reduction of cancer recurrence was 25.2% and that the results were broadly consistent regardless of the patients’ menopausal status or cancer progression.

Kisqali was used in the study alongside standard endocrine therapy to treat a type of cancer that grows in response to hormones, and was compared with that treatment alone.

Novartis gave a brief preview of Kisqali data in March, boosting its stock and growth outlook.

The drug was approved to treat breast cancer caused by hormones that had spread to other parts of the body. With that, Novartis won market share from Pfizer’s Ibrance.

But an early diagnosis, when tumors can still be surgically removed, is much more common, accounting for about 90% of patients.

Still, better drugs are needed after surgery because the cancer returns later in between a third and a half of cases.

Novartis emphasized very low rates of symptomatic side effects in its study, important for patients facing years of treatment, with severe diarrhea affecting 0.6% of participants using Kisqali versus 8% to 20% of women in trials of the drug Verzenio. , by rival Eli Lilly.

The disclosure boosted market confidence in targets issued by Chief Executive Vas Narasimhan for annual sales growth of 4% through 2027 and a core operating income margin of 40% from 2027 onwards, analysts said.

Novartis will seek approval for wider use in the US and Europe before the end of the year, he added.