Eli Lilly's Late-stage Bladder Cancer Drug Met Primary Endpoint But Will Wait For Mid-2018 Results

Eli Lilly & Co. said premarket Wednesday that its urothelial carcinoma drug met the primary endpoint in a phase 3 clinical trial. The drug, Cyramza, showed a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival, Eli Lilly said, but the company expects data on overall survival -- expected in mid-2018 -- will be needed for global regulatory submissions. Urothelial carcinoma involves the urothelial cells that line parts of the urinary tract, though the majority of cases are bladder cancer. Urothelial carcinoma is the ninth most common cancer globally and is typically an aggressive disease, Eli Lilly said. Eli Lilly's late-stage clinical trial enrolled 531 patients globally. Company shares were not active in premarket trade. Shares have declined 5.4% over the last three months, compared with a 2.1% rise in the S&P 500 .