Novartis' Kisqali cut the risk of death by 19% after six years in women with high-risk, early-stage breast cancer. At six years, 91.9% of patients taking Kisqali with hormone therapy were alive, versus 89.7% taking hormone therapy alone.
Trial data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology congress showed that Kisqali, taken with hormone therapy, helped extend survival for women with a form of high-risk, early-stage breast cancer. The survival gap was 2.1 percentage points at six years, up from 1.2 points at five years.
The initial expectation was that about 10 years of follow-up would be needed to show a survival difference. Trial lead investigator Dennis Slamon said, “Turns out we’re seeing a difference even sooner.” Kisqali works by slowing cancer cells, which may then permanently stop dividing and die.
Kisqali is already approved in the U.S. and EU for patients with stage 2 or 3 breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. Analysts expect the drug’s sales to be about $7 billion this year.
