Sanofi-Aventis finds Herceptin and Taxotere combination yields results

The Breast Cancer International Research Group (BCIRG) and Sanofi-Aventis have said that studies show the use of Herceptin combined with Taxotere-based regimens significantly improved disease free survival for women with early HER2-positive breast cancer.

Cardiac and global safety data together with the interim efficacy analysis based on 322 events were reviewed by an Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) and the relative reduction in the risk of relapse was 51 per cent and 39 per cent for the AC-TH and TCH arms, respectively, when compared to the control arm of AC-T.

“These results confirm, that in this trial, a disease-free survival benefit was seen in the adjuvant setting with the addition of Herceptin to either of two Taxotere containing chemotherapy regimens, with or without doxorubicin, in this poor prognosis population of women with HER2 positive breast cancer,” said Dennis Slamon, co-chair of the BCIRG 006 study.

“Moreover, additional molecular studies in patients from the BCIRG 006 study identified a subgroup (approximately 35 per cent) of HER2-positive patients receiving Herceptin which may have a superior response to doxorubicin-based versus non-doxorubicin-based therapies.”

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer, and since 1990 is increasing predominantly in women 50 and over.

In the European Union, more than 191,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and more than 60,000 women will die. Of women with breast cancer, 20 to 25 per cent of these women will have HER2 positive breast cancers.

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