LONDON (dpa-AFX) - AstraZeneca's (AZN) Phase III MATTERHORN trial showed that perioperative treatment with IMFINZI (durvalumab) combined with standard FLOT chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with resectable early-stage and locally advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers.
Results presented at the ESMO Congress 2025 revealed a 22% reduction in risk of death for patients receiving the IMFINZI-based regimen. An estimated 69% of treated patients were alive at three years, compared with 62% for chemotherapy alone. The survival benefit was consistent across PD-L1 subgroups.
Principal investigator Dr. Josep Tabernero said the data mark a transformative step in early gastric cancer care, adding that the regimen should become a new standard in curative settings.
AstraZeneca's oncology head, Susan Galbraith, said the findings represent the first immunotherapy-based perioperative regimen to extend survival in this patient group significantly.
The trial also linked pathologic response with improved event-free survival (EFS), showing a 29% reduction in risk of disease progression, recurrence, or death. Safety outcomes for IMFINZI plus FLOT were consistent with known profiles of both treatments, with similar surgery completion and severe adverse event rates compared to chemotherapy alone.
AZN currently trades at $84, or 0.20% higher on the NasdaqGS.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
