New Pfizer cancer ‘superdrug’ released

A new drug manufactured from Pfizer for the treatment of cancer has been launched today.

The drug called Sutent, has been developed for aiding gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) and kidney cancer and is aimed as an alternative for when similar drugs fail. Analysts suggest this marks the first time a cancer treatment has been launched in the UK which attacks two forms of cancer at the same time.

In trials the drug enabled a decrease of tumour size in 40 per cent of patients with stabilisation in a further 28 per cent of cases. The drug can be used alongside Glivec, which is also used for treatment of GIST. Drug trials for Sutent have showed that progression-free survival quadrupled in the six weeks to six months period following Sutent use, with the disease stabilising in a third of cases.

Martin Gore, professor of cancer medicine at the Royal Marsden Hospital, told the Western Mail: “Until now, the options available for people with advanced kidney cancer have been very limited.

“However, in clinical trials, approximately 42 per cent of patients had a response to Sutent and median progression-free survival was 8.2 months.”

“The emerging Sutent data is very exciting and already represents a significant, important new advance in the treatment of kidney cancer,” he added.

Around 6,600 people are affected by kidney cancer each year, with experts at the Vernon Cancer Centre in Northwood telling the Times they expect around half to be treated with Sutent each year.

© Adfero Ltd