June 28 Clinical Quick Takes: Imfinzi extends survival in Phase III SCLC study; plus LSK, Pfizer, FibroGen, Aclaris and more

AZ's Imfinzi shows survival benefit in Phase III for SCLC
AstraZeneca plc (LSE:AZN; NYSE:AZN) said an interim analysis of the Phase III CASPIAN trial showed Imfinzi plus etoposide and platinum-based chemotherapy met the primary endpoint of improving overall survival (OS) vs. chemotherapy alone to treat first-line extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. The anti-PD-L1 mAb is approved for bladder cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Rivoceranib misses in gastric cancer Phase III
LSK BioPharma Inc. (Salt Lake City, Utah) said rivoceranib failed to improve OS among third-line patients with gastric cancer, missing the primary endpoint of the international Phase III ANGEL study. The VEGFR-2 inhibitor did beat placebo on a secondary endpoint measuring progression-free survival (PFS). Rivoceranib is in Phase I/II testing as a second-line therapy for gastric cancer, as well as other clinical trials for other cancers. LSK is developing the drug outside of China, where Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co. Ltd. (Shanghai:600276) markets it as Aitan apatinib for third-line gastric cancer.

Setback for Revatio in neonatal pulmonary hypertension
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) said IV Revatio sildenafil plus inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) compared with iNO alone failed to reduce treatment failure rate and time on iNO, the co-primary endpoints, in the interventional Part A of a Phase III trial to treat neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension. The non-interventional Part B of the trial evaluating developmental progress is ongoing...