Gilead Sciences Inc said its experimental drug did not significantly improve how long patients with a type of pancreatic cancer lived without the disease worsening.
The mid-stage study evaluated the drug, simtuzumab, in combination with chemotherapy, against a placebo plus chemotherapy, in previously untreated patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
The study failed its main goal of improving progression-free-survival (PFS). There was no statistically significant difference in PFS between patients on simtuzumab and those on the placebo, Gilead said on Wednesday.[eap_ad_2]
Simtuzumab is also being tested for use in colorectal cancer, myelofibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and liver fibrosis.
Last week, Gilead said the next generation version of its $84,000 hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi, already under fire for its record-breaking costs, was going to be even more expensive.
Separately, the biotechnology company also licensed Sovaldi to seven India-based drugmakers that will sell far cheaper versions of the drug in 91 developing nations.
Foster City, California-based Gilead’s stock was little changed at $105.14 in premarket trading on Wednesday. The stock closed at $104.76 on Tuesday.
(Reuters)