By Carlo Martuscelli

AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN) said Thursday that Anifrolumab, a potential treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus, was able to reduce disease activity in a phase 3 clinical trial.

Anifrolumab achieved a statistically meaningful response when compared with placebo, AstraZeneca said, meeting its primary objective in the trial.

The FTSE 100-listed pharmaceutical company said that the study, titled Tulip 2, was the second phase 3 trial for the drug. In the first study Anifrolumab failed to meet its primary endpoint.

The executive vice president of Astra's biopharmaceuticals research division, Mene Pangalos, noted that only one new treatment has been brought to market for systemic lupus erythematosus in the last 60 years.

"These are important results and we will now review the full data set and explore pathways to bring this potential new treatment to patients," he said.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that causes the body's immune system to attack healthy tissue, leading to pain, rashes, fatigue, swelling in joints and fevers.

Write to Carlo Martuscelli at carlo.martuscelli@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 29, 2019 02:27 ET (06:27 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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