Combination therapy treats patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
AstraZeneca and MSD have announced that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted marketing authorization for Lynparza. Also known as olaparib, this treatment is used in the UK with both abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone.
This combination therapy treats adult patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) when chemotherapy is not clinically indicated.
The MHRA verdict shows that AstraZeneca and MSD’s combination of olaparib and abiraterone clearly improved radiographic progression-free survival compared to abiraterone alone as first-line treatment for patients with mCRPC. according to the results of the PROpel Phase 3 trial. This is done regardless of biomarker status.
The data also showed that combination therapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 34% compared to abiraterone alone. At the outcome cut-off point, analysis of overall survival (OS) was 40% maturity. The study will continue to evaluate OS as a primary secondary endpoint.
David Long, Head of Oncology at MSD UK, was optimistic about the results. This approval from the MHRA marks an important advance in advancing new therapeutic options to address a critical unmet need in patients with mCRPC. “
Professor Noel Clarke, Professor of Urological Oncology at Christie and Salford Royal Hospitals, concludes:
“This data from the PROpel Phase 3 trial underscores the therapeutic potential of a new first-line treatment option for patients with mCRPC. Considering becoming
Prostate cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in men and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In the UK alone, more than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, with more than 140 cases reported each day.
Approximately 10-20% of patients with advanced prostate cancer will develop castration-resistant prostate cancer within five years.
