Johnson & Johnson's prostate cancer drug shrinks tumors in early-stage trial

Oct 24 — Johnson & Johnson on Saturday said its experimental once-daily oral ​prostate cancer drug caused tumors to disappear or shrink in an early-stage trial.

J&J had gained ‌access to the drug through its $3.05 billion deal to buy Halda ⁠Therapeutics last year.

Here are ​more details:

• The company was ⁠testing JNJ-6143 in patients with advanced prostate cancer ‌who had received ‌multiple treatments

• Its novel approach selectively kills cancer ⁠cells by interfering with ⁠a protein they need to survive

• In the trial, 77% of 31 evaluable patients receiving the 50-milligram dose saw their PSA levels, a blood marker used to monitor prostate cancer, fall by at ‌least 50%; in 48% of ​patients, PSA levels fell by at least 90%

• Among patients whose tumors could be measured using imaging, 75% had a confirmed complete or partial response

• "JNJ-6143 could be a game changer for the treatment of prostate cancer and for JNJ's oncology franchise ​prospects," Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger said

• "It adds a ‌new mechanism of ‌action ⁠to J&J's prostate cancer portfolio," a Johnson & Johnson spokesperson said

• Common side effects were nausea and elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. One patient discontinued treatment due ‌to adverse effects

• The ​data were presented at the ‌European Society for ⁠Medical Oncology ​Congress

(Reporting by Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by ​Sahal Muhammed)

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