Casodex halves progression of early prostate cancer

Results of the largest-ever study of a drug treatment for localized orlocally-advanced prostate cancer reveal that AstraZeneca's anti-androgen Casodex (bicalutamide), given at a dose of 150mg/day, can cut the risk of disease progression almost in half. The firm has filed for approval of Casodex in this new indication on the strength of the data (Marketletter April 2), which was presented for the first time on April 9 at the European Association of Urology meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland.

Results of the study, one of three in AstraZeneca's Early Prostate Cancer program for Casodex, showed that, after a median follow-up of 2.6 years, the risk of disease progression was reduced 43% with Casodex compared to standard care. In addition, time to prostate-specific antigen doubling, another key endpoint in the trial, was significantly delayed, with 84% of the Casodex group not reaching this endpoint, versus 63% of controls. Combined data from all three EPC studies will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in May.