Alexion’s rare blood disorder drug ‘succeeds’

WASHINGTON: Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc said on Thursday its experimental drug to treat patients with a rare blood disorder met the main goal in a late-stage study, sending its shares up 18 percent in premarket trading.

The drug, ALXN1210, was being tested against the company’s flagship drug, Soliris, in patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH). The company said the drug demonstrated non-inferiority to Soliris on the main goal as well as four of the key secondary goals. Alexion said it expects to file marketing application for the drug in the United States, the European Union and Japan in the second half of 2018.