Roche reveals positive MabThera follow up

A follow-up analysis carried out by Roche into the cancer therapy MabThera (rituximab) has revealed that, seven years after a trial involving the treatment, an improvement in survival rates has been noted.

According to the pharmaceutical company, analysis of a phase III study has revealed that 53 per cent of those treated with MabThera seven years ago were still alive, compared with 36 per cent of those who received chemotherapy alone.

“This long-term analysis clearly demonstrates the benefits that MabThera, in combination with chemotherapy, provides to patients with aggressive lymphoma,” commented Professor Bertrand Coiffier, from the Centre Hospitalier Lyon-Sud, one of the study’s primary investigators.

“Furthermore, the results confirm that the addition of MabThera to treatment is critical even for older patients as the benefits were seen in all age groups.”

The outcome of the study was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, with patients regarded has having high risk characteristics among those involved in the analysis.

Roche has said that as remissions of greater than five years are considered to be a “cure”, the study proves that the addition of MabThera to a general course of chemotherapy cures more patients than when chemotherapy is used as a treatment alone.

Roche recently announced it had received a positive opinion from the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use regarding a marketing authorisation for Mircera, for the treatment of anaemia associated with chronic kidney disease.