New breast cancer drug shows higher efficacy rate than competing drugs

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. An investigational breast cancer drug was more effective than a competing drug in preventing fractures in breast cancer patients whose cancer has spread to the bones, the manufacturer has said.

Amgen said results of a 2,049-patient phase 3 trial indicated that denosumab worked better than Novartis’s Zometa (zoledronic acid) in treating bone metastases – breast cancer that has spread to two or more bones – by delaying the time before fractures and other bone-related problems occurred.

“We are extremely pleased with the outcome of this important study, which shows that denosumab can reduce or delay the serious complications of bone metastases in breast cancer patients better than the current standard of care, and with a favorable benefit-risk profile,” Amgen EVP research and development Roger Perlmutter said in a statement.