Mural Oncology's Ovarian Cancer Combo Drug Trial Disappoints, Stock Plunges

On Tuesday, Mural Oncology plc (NASDAQ:MURA) released data from the ARTISTRY-7 phase 3 trial of nemvaleukin alfa in combination with Merck & Co Inc’s (NYSE:MRK) Keytruda (pembrolizumab) vs. investigator choice single agent chemotherapy for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

The company said it would not continue the final analysis and would cease the development of nemvaleukin for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. 

In the pre-specified interim analysis conducted by the independent data monitoring committee, nemvaleukin, in combination with pembrolizumab, did not achieve a statistically significant improvement in overall survival versus the investigator’s choice of chemotherapy alone.

Mural Oncology says the study is highly unlikely to achieve success at the final analysis.

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Median overall survival was 10.1 months for patients treated with nemvaleukin in combination with pembrolizumab and 9.8 months for patients treated with investigator’s choice chemotherapy (hazard ratio: 0.98).

Nemvaleukin has a well-characterized and favorable safety profile, both as a monotherapy and in combination with pembrolizumab. Over 800 patients were treated across the broader clinical program.

In the interim analysis of ARTISTRY-7, the safety profile was generally consistent with previously reported data.

Nemvaleukin is being evaluated in a potentially registrational phase 2 trial, ARTISTRY-6, cohort 2, in mucosal melanoma. The topline data readout is expected in Q2 2025.

The preliminary data readouts for less-frequent intravenous dosing of nemvaleukin in patients with cutaneous melanoma are expected in the second quarter of 2025 for cohort 3 of ARTISTRY-6 (monotherapy) and the second half of 2025 for cohort 4 of ARTISTRY-6 (combination therapy).

Price Action: MURA stock is down 49.6% at $1.93 during the premarket session at the last check Tuesday.

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