Sanofi/Regeneron's Dupixent Succeeds In Phase II Study
Zacks Investment Research | Oct 16, 2017 10:48PM ET
Sanofi (PA:SASY), Inc. (NYSE:SNY) and partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:REGN) announced that a phase II study evaluating its injection Dupixent for the treatment of adults with active moderate-to-severe eosinophilic esophagitis met its primary endpoint.
Sanofi’s shares have risen 22.7% this year so far compared with 18.3% increase for the industry .
Dupixent is already marketed for treating atopic dermatitis (AD)/eczema in the United States since March this year and was approved for AD in the EU last month.
Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic, allergic inflammatory disease in which the patients suffer from difficulty in swallowing. Presently, this condition, mainly caused by food allergies, is treated only with diet modification, corticosteroids or surgery.
Data from the study showed that patients treated with Dupixent injection weekly experienced a significant improvement in the ability to swallow when compared with placebo. Meanwhile, treatment with dupilumab weekly also led to significant improvement in the severity of inflammation of the esophagus and endoscopic signs of the disease. Please note that Dupixent enjoys orphan drug designation for this indication.
We are optimistic on sales prospects of Dupixent, which could prove to be an important growth driver for the company. Dupixent generated sales of €26 million in the second quarter backed by strong demand.
Apart from AD and eosinophilic esophagitis, Dupixent is also being evaluated for other inflammatory indications including asthma and nasal polyposis in late stage studies. Last month, Sanofi and Regeneron announced that Dupixent met its two primary endpoints in a phase III asthma study. Data from the LIBERTY ASTHMA QUEST study showed that Dupixent, when added to standard therapies, reduced severe asthma attacks and improved lung function. Based on this positive data, the companies plan to submit a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the FDA by the end of this year.
Sanofi has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Better-ranked stocks in the large-cap pharma sector include AbbVie, Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) and Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) . Both carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see Original post
Get The News You Want
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.