Sanofi trial failure halts work

Sanofi was one of several companies selling Zantac, which was withdrawn from the market by US regulators in 2020. Sanofi shares have dropped more than 13% to a 10-month low since the investor panic over Zantac began a week ago. According to CFO Jean-Baptiste de Chatillon, the recent share price drop was compounding an undervaluation that had turned into a buying opportunity, pointing to the future prospects of hoemophilia drug hopeful efanesoctocog alfa and nirsevimab against certain infant airway infections.

He claimed that Zantac’s claims were unfounded and that Sanofi’s part of old Zantac sales was minuscule compared to other businesses’ shares. The medicine candidate’s biggest commercial opportunity, according to the business, was as a treatment soon after diagnosis.

“This was a flagship drug in pipeline and important oncology asset,” wrote Credit Suisse analyst Jo Walton.

In the trial, the medication was compared to a different group of individuals receiving conventional hormone therapy and Pfizer’s (PFE.N) well-known Ibrance.

Amcenestrant is a member of a group of medications called selective oestrogen receptor degraders (SERD) that are used to treat oestrogen-responsive tumours, which are thought to be responsible for up to 80% of all breast cancer cases.

Additionally, Roche (ROG.S) and AstraZeneca, who are developing the tablets giredestrant and camizestrant, respectively, were drawn to the market possibility.

The medications are made to function similarly to injectable Faslodex, a well-known treatment for breast cancer made by AstraZeneca (AZN.L).

While AstraZeneca said it remained confident in the layout of its camizestrant studies, Roche said it remained dedicated to developing giredestrant.

AstraZeneca and Roche have also been drawn to the market opportunity and are developing pills with the names giredestrant and camizestrant, respectively.