Roche subsidiary Genentech scored a breakthrough-therapy designation for its experimental Phase-I immuno-oncology drug MPDL3280A. The anticipated patient population is comprised of previously treated metastatic urothelial bladder cancer patients who test positive for PD-L1, which stands for programmed death ligand-1. The test is being developed by parent company Roche.
Genentech said in a statement Saturday that results prompting the FDA’s breakthrough label showed tumors shrank in 43% of patients.
