Pfizer Inc. PFE announced that it has terminated two clinical studies evaluating its pipeline candidate, domagrozumab, in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (“DMD”), a progressive muscle degeneration disease. The two studies included a phase II study evaluating the candidate in patients regardless of underlying mutation and another was an open-label extension study.
The company took the decision as domagrozumab failed to meet the primary endpoint in the phase II study.
The primary endpoint of the study was to show a difference in mean change from baseline in 4 Stair Climb after one year of treatment with domagrozumab versus placebo.
An analysis of secondary endpoints also showed lack of a “significant treatment effect”.
Pfizer stated that the discontinuation of the studies was not due to safety concerns. The company will continue to review the data to get better insights.
However, the company continues to develop its mini-dystrophin gene therapy, PF-06939926,for the treatment of DMD.
The company’s shares have increased 14.5% so far this year compared to the industry’s rise of 5.1%.
Domagrozumab is designed to work by inhibiting myostatin, a protein involved in muscle growth. Shares of Scholar Rock SRRK, which is also developing a similar treatment for DMD, slid 9.7%, following Pfizer’s termination of studies.
Sarepta Therapeutics’ SRPT Exondys 51 is the first drug to receive approval for the treatment of DMD. However, it has a different mechanism of action. Sarepta and Solid Biosciences Inc. SLDB are also developing gene therapy programs for the treatment of patients with DMD.
DMD is a progressive muscle degeneration, which weakens the patient as well as significantly reduces life expectancy. The disease has serious impacts as it can lead to loss of ability to walk, cardiomyopathy or put patients on mechanical ventilator support. Per the press release, the disease affects one person in every 3500 to 5000 live male births annually.
Zacks Rank
Pfizer currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
5 Companies Verge on Apple-Like Run
Did you miss Apple's 9X stock explosion after they launched their iPhone in 2007? Now 2018 looks to be a pivotal year to get in on another emerging technology expected to rock the market. Demand could soar from almost nothing to $42 billion by 2025. Reports suggest it could save 10 million lives per decade which could in turn save $200 billion in U.S. healthcare costs. A bonus Zacks Special Report names this breakthrough and the 5 best stocks to exploit it. Like Apple in 2007, these companies are already strong and coiling for potential mega-gains.
Click to see them right now >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Be the first to comment