Roche says clinical trial did not meet goal

BASEL, Switzerland A biotech drug used to treat advanced cancer did not reduce the risk of cancer returning in patients with early-stage colon cancer when combined with chemotherapy, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.

Roche said Wednesday that a phase 3 study comparing Avastin (bevacizumab) combined with chemotherapy to chemotherapy alone did not meet its goal of disease-free survival in colon cancer patients who had just received surgery.

The Swiss drug maker said the study, called NSABP C-08, was the first trial of Avastin as an early-stage cancer treatment. The drug, developed by recently acquired Genentech, already has approval in the United States for treating advanced colorectal, breast and lung cancers.

“While we are disappointed the C-08 study did not meet its primary endpoint, our initial review of the data leads us to continue to believe Avastin may be active in patients with early-stage colon cancer and look forward to NSABP’s presentation at ASCO,” Genentech SVP development and chief medical officer Hal Barron said, referring to the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which will take place from May 29 to June 2.