Novartis Drug Shows Cancer-Fighting Promise

Novartis has revealed encouraging early data from its experimental actinium-based drug, demonstrating anti-tumor activity in prostate cancer patients. The study involved 101 patients, with over 85% of those who had not received prior treatment seeing their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels cut in half. This new actinium-225 drug, an alpha emitter, showed promise even in patients previously treated with Novartis' existing drug, Pluvicto, which uses a different isotope.

These findings position Novartis to deepen its commitment to radioligand therapies, which deliver targeted radiation to cancer cells. This therapy class now represents nearly 40% of the company's cancer research and development investments. Novartis is advancing two late-stage studies for the experimental drug and has secured a supply agreement for actinium with U.S.-based Niowave to address potential supply constraints in this rapidly growing field of cancer treatment.