Boston, MA 09/29/2014 (wallstreetpr) – As per a Reuters report, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) has taken another shot to the success. The drug maker has achieved another important milestone with its immunotherapy drug, Opdivo. As per a new melanoma study, the drug had reported an increased and imporved response rate complemented by fewer side effects as against the chemotherapy, which underpinns the therapy as a potential for new treatment.
Surpasses Chemotherapy
The results were keenly watched for after the company announced first announced the results of its pivotal Phase II studies that promised to prepare a new class of drugs to help fight cancer through increased immunity generated from within the body. The details of the study suggest that nearly 32% of the enrolled patients with melanoma at advanced level witnessed their tumors contract when treated with Opdivo, while only 11% of patients treated with the conventional chemotherapy showed similar results. At the same time, there is a considerable duration of response of the treatment as well. For instance, patients treated with chemotherapy responded on an average for 3.6 months, which compares against the 95% of patients, who are still showing signs of improvement even after elapse of six months of giving the treatment. The result was presented by Jefferey Weber from Moffitt CanCer Center in Florida, who said, ” I was very nicely surprised”, while presenting the marks at the European Society of Medical Oncology here today.
Lung Cancer Trial
Opdivo is devised to block Programmed Death receptor (PD-1), a protein, which allows tumors to tresspass the immune system’s cells. After today’s extremely remarkable results, analysts are having their eyes set on Opdivo’s data for its performance in lung cancer under a Phase III trial, the results of which are expected to be open by fourth quarter this year. It is to be noted that lung cancer has a larger market than melanoma, therefore, the results could turn the direction of the company altogether.
