Puma Biotechnology cancer drug shows positive mid-stage results

(Reuters) - Puma Biotechnology Inc said its experimental lung cancer drug was safe to be administered with an already approved treatment for the disease in a mid-stage study. The time where a patient's disease did not progress increased to four months when given a combination of Puma's PB272 and temsirolimus, compared to about three months when given only PB272, according to data from the study. All the patients in the study were given a high dose of the drug loperamide to prevent diarrhea related to PB272. There were no severe diarrhea events seen in the trial, the company said. (Reporting by Vidya L Nathan in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)