GSK hails 'milestone' drug trial results in China

(Sharecast News) - A targeted lung cancer treatment developed by GSK has shown promising results in the latest trials in China, the pharma blue chip confirmed on Friday. The UK firm said the Artemis-008 phase III trial evaluating risvutatug rezetecan (ris-rez) in patients with advanced or relapsed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) had met its primary endpoint of overall survival. In particular, it demonstrated "statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements" in overall survival compared with the standard of care, chemotherapy drug topotecan.

SCLC is a difficult to treat, aggressive cancer, with limited treatment options and a poor prognosis.

The data will now be used by Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group, GSK's licensor, for regulatory submission in China for the investigational B7-H3-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). GSK holds exclusive global rights to develop ris-rev outside mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Hesham Abdullah, global head of oncology research and development at GSK, said: "These results are an important milestone as the first positive phase III survival data for B7-H3-targeted ADC in any tumour type.

"Together with other data generated to date, they further support the potential of B7-H3 as a promising target across lung cancer and other solid tumours, and reinforce our continued development of ris-rez to improve standard of care in areas of high unmet need."

As at 1300 BST, shares in GSK were up 1% at 1,973p.

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