Roche reports positive CHMP opinion for Avastin as advanced lung cancer treatment

Roche has reported that the European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has granted a positive recommendation for the use of Avastin (bevacizumab) as a first-line treatment for advanced lung cancer as a combination treatment for platinum based chemotherapy.

Avastin is the first anti-angiogenic compound that has consistently been shown to boost progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with breast, colorectal, kidney and lung cancer.

It operates through the inhibition of growth of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to cancerous tissues through the targeting of vascular endothelial growth factor.

The CHMP decision follows the submission of data from the phase III E4599 and Avail studies which show the efficacy of the compound when administered together with a range of chemotherapy treatments.

William M Burns, chief executive officer of pharmaceuticals at Roche, said: “The CHMP opinion is encouraging news for European patients fighting a particularly aggressive and debilitating disease.”

He added that the company would continue its efforts to develop Avastin through the biggest trial programme in the field of oncology and continue to seek enhanced treatments to boost the quality of life of patients with cancer.

Last month, Roche presented data from its phase III Avoren trial to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, with the firm reporting that advanced renal cell cancer patients receiving the compound doubled progression-free survival compared to those only using interferon.