Two months ago, a late-stage trial found that Zytiga, a Johnson & Johnson treatment for prostate cancer, improved survival in patients who had not received chemo – the pill delayed cancer growth and helped patients live longer versus a placebo. And so, an independent data monitoring committee recommended that patients who are on placebo should be given Zytiga, which was approved last year to treat advanced prostate cancer in patients who did not benefit from chemo. Only interim results were released, but the outcome was being closely watched for several reasons, and high on the list was the affect on competitors, such as Dendreon and its rival Provenge treatment. Although cost comparisons have been a perennial point of discussion when evaluating the two medications, a key issue is when physicians may decide to migrate their patients to Zytiga. And the study data suggested to some that the scales would tip in favor of Zytiga.
