Johnson & Johnson's prostate cancer drug shrinks tumors in early trial

Johnson & Johnson announced Saturday that its experimental prostate cancer drug JNJ-6143 shrank or eliminated tumors in an early-stage trial, with 77% of patients seeing PSA levels drop by at least half. The once-daily oral drug, acquired through J&J's $3.05 billion purchase of Halda Therapeutics, targets a protein cancer cells need to survive. Among 31 evaluable patients on the 50-milligram dose, 69% with measurable tumors showed confirmed partial or complete responses. Common side effects included nausea and elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, with one patient discontinuing treatment. The data, presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress, adds a new mechanism of action to J&J's prostate cancer portfolio.