Key facts
- 77% of patients on 50mg dose saw PSA levels fall by at least 50%.
- 48% of patients saw PSA levels fall by at least 90%.
- 75% of patients with measurable tumors had a confirmed response.
Johnson & Johnson announced on Saturday that its experimental oral prostate cancer drug, JNJ-6143, demonstrated significant efficacy in an early-stage trial. The drug, acquired through J&J's $3.05 billion deal to buy Halda Therapeutics, works by interfering with a protein essential for cancer cell survival. Data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress showed that among 31 evaluable patients receiving the 50-milligram dose, 77% experienced at least a 50% reduction in PSA levels, a key marker for prostate cancer. Furthermore, 75% of patients with measurable tumors achieved a confirmed complete or partial response.