Astra’s Lung Cancer Combination Boosted Survival in Key Study

AstraZeneca Plc said its drug Tagrisso significantly lengthened the lives of some lung cancer patients when given with chemotherapy, the latest salvo in a highly competitive battle with Johnson & Johnson to offer the most potent medicine for the condition.

The combination helped patients with a specific type of advanced non-small cell lung cancer live for 47.5 months at the median, the longest survival benefit ever reported in a late-stage study of the condition, said Dave Fredrickson, executive vice president of Astra’s oncology business. It also had a manageable safety profile, the company said.