Active Biotech, Ipsen discontinue tasquinimod in mCRPC

Active Biotech AB (SSE:ACTI) plummeted SEK16.80 (61%) to SEK10.90 after the company and partner Ipsen Group (Euronext:IPN) said they would discontinue development of tasquinimod to treat prostate cancer. Tasquinimod failed to significantly improve overall survival vs. placebo in a Phase III trial to treat patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have not received chemotherapy (HR=1.09; CI 95%: 0.95, 1.28).

Ipsen said in September 2014 that preliminary data from a Phase II trial to treat four other cancer types do not support continued development of tasquinimod in gastric, ovarian and renal cancers. The companies expect data this year from the trial's hepatocellular carcinoma cohort. ...