AstraZeneca, Merck cancer treatment attains meaningful improvement in progression-free survival

(Reuters) – AstraZeneca Plc and Merck & Co Inc said on Monday their drug to treat a form of ovarian cancer improved progression-free survival in patients tested in a late-stage study.

The study tested Lynparza in patients as an add-on to an already existing standard of care, bevacizumab, and was compared to a group of patients given bevacizumab alone.

Lynparza added to bevacizumab reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 41% in the overall trial population.