Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced on Thursday that a combination of its drugs, Talzenna and Xtandi, has shown promising results in prolonging the lives of patients suffering from metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), a late-stage form of the disease.
The combination therapy was found to significantly improve overall survival in patients, regardless of the presence of a genetic mutation, according to the results of a late-stage clinical trial.
This development marks a major advancement in the treatment of mCRPC, a type of prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and is typically associated with a poor prognosis.
According to Pfizer, around 10% to 20% of prostate cancer patients progress to mCRPC within five to seven years of their initial diagnosis, making it one of the most challenging stages to treat.
In the clinical trial, the Talzenna-Xtandi combination was compared with Xtandi alone. The results showed a significant improvement in overall survival for patients who received the combination therapy, regardless of whether they carried a specific mutation. Overall survival is a key indicator in cancer treatment, as it reflects the length of time patients live after diagnosis or treatment initiation.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had previously approved the Talzenna-Xtandi combination last year for the treatment of mCRPC patients with a certain genetic mutation. Pfizer now plans to present the latest results to global health authorities, potentially paving the way for an updated label for Talzenna, expanding its use to a broader group of mCRPC patients.
Prostate cancer remains a significant health challenge, particularly in its advanced stages, when treatment options are limited, and survival rates decline. Pfizer’s progress adds to recent developments in the field. Last year, the FDA also approved a combination therapy from AstraZeneca, Lynparza, alongside hormone therapy abiraterone, to treat mCRPC patients with specific genetic mutations.
About mCRPC
Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer is an advanced form of prostate cancer that spreads to other parts of the body and no longer responds to traditional hormone therapy.
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