AstraZeneca commences new breast cancer drug trial

AstraZeneca has begun a new clinical trial called Falcon to evaluate the potential safety and efficacy benefits of a breast cancer therapy.

The phase III study will compare the performance of Faslodex to Armidex in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

Set to involve 450 postmenopausal patients who have not previously been treated with any hormonal therapy, the trial has been initiated as a follow-up to First, a phase II trial that demonstrated the potential of Faslodex in this indication.

The FALCON study is still opening US clinical trial sites, with patient recruitment and enrolment having now commenced.

Dr Yuri Rukazenkov, medical science director at AstraZeneca, said: "The Falcon trial is part of AstraZeneca's commitment to the continued study and evaluation of treatment options for metastatic breast cancer, and developing and optimising breast cancer therapies for all patient groups."

Last month, the company published data from a new clinical sub-analysis that demonstrates the efficacy of its acute coronary syndrome therapy Brilique among a wide variety of patients regardless of age.