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AstraZeneca (AZN), Moderna's Heart Failure Study Successful
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AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) announced that a phase II study — EPICCURE — evaluating its mRNA-based pipeline candidate, AZD8601, in patients with heart failure met its primary endpoint of safety and tolerability. The candidate is being co-developed with Moderna (MRNA - Free Report) and was designed using the company’s mRNA platform.
AstraZeneca’s AZD8601 is designed to deliver genetic instructions to spur the production of the paracrine factor vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). The candidate was injected directly into the myocardium of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.
The EPICCURE study evaluated 11 patients — seven patients receiving AZD8601 and the rest were injected with a placebo. Data from the study showed that administration of the candidate increased left ventricular ejection fraction (“LVEF”) and functional patient-reported outcomes compared to placebo. Moreover, all seven patients receiving AZD8601 had NT-proBNP levels below the heart failure limit after six months of follow-up compared to one patient in the placebo arm.
Please note that LVEF is a measure of the amount of blood pumped by the left ventricle of the heart, responsible for sending oxygen-rich blood in the body, in each contraction. The NT-proBNP is a measure of the level of a hormone that is found elevated in patients with heart failure.
Data from this mid-stage study supports the advancement of AZD8601 to the next stage of development in larger studies for safety and efficacy.
So far this year, shares of AstraZeneca have gained 19.5% compared with the industry’s 16.2% increase.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
AstraZeneca and Moderna first entered into an alliance to develop an mRNA-therapeutic in 2013. Subsequently, the companies expanded their alliances to include new target indications. The alliances were signed to develop mRNA-based treatment of cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases, as well as selected targets for cancer.
Apart from AZD8601, AstraZeneca is developing an mRNA-based immuno-oncology therapeutic, MEDI1191, in collaboration with Moderna in a phase I study. However, Moderna and AstraZeneca mutually terminated an agreement related to the development of an mRNA-therapeutic encoded for relaxin protein, known to have cardiovascular protective effects, in December 2020.
Earnings per share estimates for Roche have moved up from $2.76 to $2.78 for 2021 and from $2.79 to $2.82 for 2022 in the past 30 days.
Shares of Roche have gained 13.4% so far this year.
The bottom-line estimates for Glaxo have improved from earnings of $2.82 to $3.04 for 2021 and from $3.08 to $3.26 for 2022 in the past 30 days. Glaxo delivered an earnings surprise of 15.28%, on average, in the last four quarters.
Glaxo’s stock has gained 17.3% year to date.
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AstraZeneca (AZN), Moderna's Heart Failure Study Successful
AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) announced that a phase II study — EPICCURE — evaluating its mRNA-based pipeline candidate, AZD8601, in patients with heart failure met its primary endpoint of safety and tolerability. The candidate is being co-developed with Moderna (MRNA - Free Report) and was designed using the company’s mRNA platform.
AstraZeneca’s AZD8601 is designed to deliver genetic instructions to spur the production of the paracrine factor vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). The candidate was injected directly into the myocardium of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.
The EPICCURE study evaluated 11 patients — seven patients receiving AZD8601 and the rest were injected with a placebo. Data from the study showed that administration of the candidate increased left ventricular ejection fraction (“LVEF”) and functional patient-reported outcomes compared to placebo. Moreover, all seven patients receiving AZD8601 had NT-proBNP levels below the heart failure limit after six months of follow-up compared to one patient in the placebo arm.
Please note that LVEF is a measure of the amount of blood pumped by the left ventricle of the heart, responsible for sending oxygen-rich blood in the body, in each contraction. The NT-proBNP is a measure of the level of a hormone that is found elevated in patients with heart failure.
Data from this mid-stage study supports the advancement of AZD8601 to the next stage of development in larger studies for safety and efficacy.
So far this year, shares of AstraZeneca have gained 19.5% compared with the industry’s 16.2% increase.
AstraZeneca and Moderna first entered into an alliance to develop an mRNA-therapeutic in 2013. Subsequently, the companies expanded their alliances to include new target indications. The alliances were signed to develop mRNA-based treatment of cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases, as well as selected targets for cancer.
Apart from AZD8601, AstraZeneca is developing an mRNA-based immuno-oncology therapeutic, MEDI1191, in collaboration with Moderna in a phase I study. However, Moderna and AstraZeneca mutually terminated an agreement related to the development of an mRNA-therapeutic encoded for relaxin protein, known to have cardiovascular protective effects, in December 2020.
AstraZeneca PLC Price
AstraZeneca PLC price | AstraZeneca PLC Quote
Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider
AstraZeneca currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).
Some better-ranked stocks from the biotech sector are Roche (RHHBY - Free Report) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK - Free Report) , both carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Earnings per share estimates for Roche have moved up from $2.76 to $2.78 for 2021 and from $2.79 to $2.82 for 2022 in the past 30 days.
Shares of Roche have gained 13.4% so far this year.
The bottom-line estimates for Glaxo have improved from earnings of $2.82 to $3.04 for 2021 and from $3.08 to $3.26 for 2022 in the past 30 days. Glaxo delivered an earnings surprise of 15.28%, on average, in the last four quarters.
Glaxo’s stock has gained 17.3% year to date.