TOP NEWS: AstraZeneca sees positive results for Covid-19 treatment

(Alliance News) - AstraZeneca PLC on Friday reported good results from its Covid-19 prevention ...

Alliance News 20 August, 2021 | 8:22AM
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(Alliance News) - AstraZeneca PLC on Friday reported good results from its Covid-19 prevention trial, though less positively separately said that subsidiary Alexion has halted its amyotrophic lateral sclerosis drug trial due to lack of efficacy.

The FTSE 100-listed pharmaceutical firm noted "positive" results from its Provent Phase III trial of Covid-19 treatment, AZD7442.

The company said AZD7442 "achieved a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of symptomatic Covid-19, the trial's primary endpoint."

AZD7442 is a combination of two long-acting antibodies, Astra said.

The treatment reduced the risk of developing symptomatic Covid-19 by 77% compared to a placebo, the company noted.

The company said preliminary findings from investigators at Oxford University and Columbia University showed that AZD7442 "neutralises" recent emergent forms of Covid-19, including the Delta variant.

The trial accrued 25 cases of symptomatic Covid-19 at the primary analysis, and pointed to no cases of severe Covid-19 or Covid-19-related deaths in the trial, versus two deaths from the placebo.

"AZD7442 is the first antibody combination, non-vaccine, modified to potentially provide long-lasting protection that has demonstrated prevention of Covid-19 in a clinical trial," Astra said.

The company said it plans share further data from its Provent Phase III clinical trial later in the year.

Also on Friday, Astra said its Boston-based subsidiary, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc, has halted its Champion-Als Phase III trial of a potential treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis due to lack of efficacy.

Following an interim analysis of trial data, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended that Alexion discontinue the trial of its Ultomiris treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Despite its lack of efficacy, the company said that data bore out the established safety profile of Ultomiris.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rare, fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects the motor neurones, brain and spinal chord.

The disease prevents the brain from initiating muscle movement resulting in paralysis and, eventually, death.

Ultomiris is a combination of two long-acting antibodies and "works by inhibiting the C5 protein in the terminal complement cascade, a part of the body's immune system," Astra noted.

The company said its randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial included 382 adults who reported their first amyotrophic lateral sclerosis symptoms within the prior 36 months.

"We are disappointed by this outcome and what it means for patients with this devastating disease...We continue to be confident in the potential of targeting C5 for complement-driven diseases and remain fully committed to our efforts to serve the rare disease community," said Alexion's senior vice president Gianluca Pirozzi.

Data from the discontinued trial will be used to inform continuing research, the company added.

Shares in AstraZeneca were trading down 0.8% at 8,664.00 pence each in London on Friday morning.

By Scarlett Butler; scarlettbutler@alliancenews.com

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Security Name Price Change (%) Morningstar
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AstraZeneca PLC 10,946.00 GBX 0.29

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