Cougar trial sees big response to prostate cancer drug

FierceBiotech reports Cougar trial sees big response to prostate cancer drug:

Cougar Biotechnology revealed some new clinical trial data this morning that helps explain why Johnson & Johnson is willing to pay nearly a billion dollars for the company.

Researchers say that Cougar's lead drug candidate--abiraterone acetate--produced positive data in a small clinical study on prostate tumors.  Abiraterone is designed to stop the body from producing a hormone tumor cells thrive on.  Imaging scans of the 54 patients in the study demonstrated that nine of 24 subjects demonstrated a decrease in tumor size.  Significantly, 28 of 42 patients who completed the study demonstrated a reduction in PSA of at least 50 percent.  Eight patients saw their PSA levels drop by 90 percent or more.

Excellent!