AstraZeneca Updates Early Combo Cancer Trial, Keeping Pressure on Immuno-Oncology Rivals
AstraZeneca ($~AZN) announced an update on their ongoing clinical study.
Claim 70% Off TipRanks Premium
- Unlock hedge fund-level data and powerful investing tools for smarter, sharper decisions
- Stay ahead of the market with the latest news and analysis and maximize your portfolio's potential
AstraZeneca is updating investors on a phase I trial testing a new drug mix in tough-to-treat cancers. The study, titled “A Phase I Study Assessing the Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics of AZD1775 (Adavosertib) in Combination With MEDI4736 (Durvalumab) in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumours,” aims to check safety, dosing, and early signs of benefit in advanced solid tumours.
The trial combines two cancer drugs. Adavosertib is an oral pill targeting cell division, and durvalumab is an IV immunotherapy already marketed by AstraZeneca as Imfinzi. The goal is to see if pairing these two approaches can boost cancer control in patients who have limited treatment options.
This is an interventional phase I study in patients with advanced solid tumours. It is non-randomized, with several parallel dosing schedules and no blinding, meaning both doctors and patients know what is given. The main purpose is treatment-focused, but the primary readout is safety and how the drugs move through the body.
Patients are split into four experimental arms using different dosing schedules of oral adavosertib and IV durvalumab in 28-day cycles. Some groups include a short lead-in period with adavosertib alone to better track drug levels before combining with durvalumab. All arms use dexamethasone as support to reduce nausea from adavosertib dosing days.
The study was first submitted on 26 November 2015, marking the formal launch of this early-stage program. The trial is now listed as completed, and the last update to the record was filed on 3 March 2026, signaling fresh review of data and study status for investors tracking the asset.
Because this is a phase I study, the key takeaway is risk management, not headline efficacy. Safety, tolerability, and dose guidance from this work can shape if and how AstraZeneca pursues larger, more expensive trials and potential label expansions around durvalumab-based combinations.
For AZN, a positive safety profile and workable dosing range could support its broader oncology strategy and justify continued investment in adavosertib combo programs. However, the completed status with no posted results yet means investors should stay cautious and avoid overpricing success until data are released or included in future pipeline updates.
In the wider immuno-oncology space, rivals like Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb are also layering targeted agents on top of checkpoint inhibitors. Strong data here could help AstraZeneca defend and grow its share in combination cancer care, while weak or inconclusive signals might push capital toward more advanced or de-risked assets in the sector.
Overall, this update mainly confirms that early testing of the adavosertib and durvalumab combo has wrapped up and is under review. The study is completed and recently updated, with more detailed information available on the ClinicalTrials portal.
To learn more about ~AZN’s potential, visit the AstraZeneca drug pipeline page.
