Shares in Merrimack Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MACK) gained over 50% today on great news regarding a phase 3 trial for its MM-398 drug for pancreatic cancer. In combination with 5-flouroacil and leucovorin, MM-398 generated a 1.9 month lift in overall survival (from 4.2 months to 6.1 months) for pancreatic cancer patients compared to patients just taking the other two drugs. This was particularly good news considering that MM-398 had previously failed a trial as a monotherapy.
Of course, the drug still needs to go through the FDA approval process, but if it hits the market, what are its chances of grabbing market share in this hard-to-treat cancer? In the video below, Motley Fool health care analysts David Williamson and Michael Douglass discuss the drug and its opportunities if approved.
