Despite receiving mixed news from the lab on Tuesday, pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (up 2.26%) saw a positive response from investors, who appeared to have faith in the company’s prospects. This optimism was reflected in a share price increase of over 2%, contrasting sharply with the more than 2% drop experienced by the S&P 500 index.
Success in 1 of 3 Trials
Sanofi released the results from three phase 3 trials of its multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment, tolebrutinib. The first trial yielded positive results, with the drug achieving its primary goal of delaying the onset of confirmed disability progression in patients suffering from non-relapsing secondary progressive MS (nrSPMS) when compared to a placebo.
However, the remaining two trials, which tested tolebrutinib for relapsing MS, were less promising. The drug failed to show a significant reduction in the annualized relapse rate compared to Aubagio, Sanofi’s FDA-approved medication.
Despite these mixed outcomes, company executives remained optimistic about the drug’s future. Sanofi quoted its head of research and development, Houman Ashrafian, who described tolebrutinib as an “unprecedented breakthrough” and a potential “first-in-disease treatment option” with significant benefits in slowing disability accumulation.
Pursuing Approval
In an interview with the industry publication Fierce Biotech, Ashrafian reiterated Sanofi’s commitment to securing FDA approval for tolebrutinib, particularly buoyed by the drug’s success in treating nrSPMS. The company has previously indicated that this treatment holds the potential to become a blockbuster drug.
