Bayer's study on Asundexian discontinued, stocks decline

Bayer's study on its hopeful drug candidate Asundexian has been discontinued. The Dax-listed company announced on Sunday in Berlin that a Phase III study comparing Asundexian to Apixaban in patients with atrial fibrillation and stroke risk would be terminated prematurely. This decision was based on the recommendation of the independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) as part of the ongoing study monitoring. Asundexian had been touted as the successor to the drug Xarelto. The data showed a lower efficacy of Asundexian compared to the standard treatment, the company further stated. Bayer will continue to analyze the data. Just recently, Bayer expanded its Phase III study program for Asundexian. According to earlier statements, the anticoagulant was expected to generate annual peak sales of more than 5 billion euros. Asundexian is a so-called factor XIa inhibitor. It belongs to a relatively new class of active substances that experts hope will have lower bleeding risks compared to current factor Xa anticoagulants such as Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer's Eliquis, as well as Bayer's Xarelto.