Zentalis Pharma tumbles on cancer drug durability concerns

Zentalis Pharmaceuticals

29/01/2025 19:06

** Shares of drug developer Zentalis Pharmaceuticals  ZNTL.O  fall ~19% to $1.94 
    ** ZNTL says its experimental cancer drug, azenosertib, works better than current treatments
in ovarian cancer patients who have previously been treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and
whose cancer has become resistant
    ** It reported data from two mid-stage trials testing its therapy alone or in combination
with niraparib in patients with ovarian cancer and platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients
    ** In one of the studies, ZNTL's drug resulted in a 5.5 months duration of response on
average in patients
    ** Oppenheimer analyst Matthew Biegler says investors are "squabbling" as the duration of
response was slightly under 6 months, a pivotal study could take another 2 years and that
accelerated approval isn't a "done deal"
    ** Wedbush analyst Robert Driscoll says he remains "unconvinced" by the durability data that
will ultimately support full approval
    ** ZNTL is seeking the U.S. FDA's accelerated approval for its drug to treat
platinum-resistant ovarian cancer
    ** ZNTL fell ~81% in 2024

 (Reporting by Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru)
 ((Kamal.Choudhury@thomsonreuters.com))