J&J's Erleada Combo Slows Prostate Cancer Progression in Pivotal Trial

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) said on May 31, 2026 that a late-stage trial showed its drug apalutamide combined with hormone therapy before and after surgery significantly extended the time patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer lived without metastasis or death. The Phase 3 study met its primary endpoint, paving the way for a label expansion. The trial compared apalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to ADT alone in men undergoing radical prostatectomy. J&J plans to submit the data to regulators. Apalutamide, sold as Erleada, is already approved for metastatic prostate cancer and generated $2.7 billion in 2025 revenue. Expanding into an early-stage, high-risk population could substantially broaden its market.