US drugmaker Amgen says its 'breakthrough' combination cuts the risk of death from aggressive lung cancer by 58 per cent

Patients given Imdelltra alongside AstraZeneca's Imfinzi lived a median 21.1 months, against 12.7 months on Imfinzi alone. Nearly 80 per cent were still alive after a year, compared with 53 per cent. Amgen chief medical officer Dr Paul Burton said the pairing could 'almost convert it into a chronic disease'. Data from the 563-patient trial were unveiled at a cancer conference in Madrid on Saturday.

Imdelltra's US list price runs to over $390,000 a year, about £292,000.

Wall Street expects annual sales to top $2.5 billion by 2030.

Side effects forced 5.7 per cent off the combo, versus 5.8 per cent on Imfinzi alone.