Roche Holdings Ltd. (RHHBY) recently reported positive data from a late-stage trial (OCEANS) on Avastin (bevacizumab) at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The trial was conducted to evaluate the use of Avastin in combination with chemotherapy followed by the use of Avastin alone in women with recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.
The study results demonstrated that women who were dosed with Avastin experienced a 52% decline in the risk of the disease progressing compared with those who were treated with only chemotherapy.
Moreover, in patients who were on Avastin-based regimen, tumor shrinkage was reported to be 79%, as against 57% in patients who received only chemotherapy. Median progression-free survival was 12.4 months in women on Avastin compared with 8.4 months in women who received chemotherapy alone.
Avastin, which is currently marketed worldwide for the treatment of colorectal cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), kidney cancer and glioblastoma (a type of brain cancer), faces competition from Eli Lilly & Co.’s (LLY) Erbitux.
We note that recently, Roche also reported positive data from a late-stage trial (EURTAC) on Tarceva (erlotinib) at the ASCO. The EURTAC trial was conducted in Western patients with a genetically distinct type of advanced NSCLC.
The study results demonstrated that the first-line use of Tarceva almost doubled the time patients survived without their disease getting worse compared with patients on placebo. The median progression-free survival for patients dosed with Tarceva was 9.7 months versus 5.2 months for patients who were on placebo. Additionally, Tarceva reduced the risk of disease worsening by 63% as compared with chemotherapy.
Roche currently markets Tarceva as a treatment for advanced lung cancer following platinum-based chemotherapy. Moreover, the company has filed with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the extension of Tarceva’s label to include the first-line use of the drug in people with advanced EGFR activating mutation-positive NSCLC.
We currently have a Zacks #3 Rank (short-term Hold rating) on Roche.
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