Novartis announces Sandostatin study results

Novartis has announced a study on its drug Sandostatin has demonstrated it “controls tumour growth”.

Research data – presented at the 2009 Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium – found the product reduced the risk of tumour progression in 69 per cent of patients, in comparison to placebo.

The study also found it more than doubled the time without growth for a median of 14 months.

Named Promid, the phase IIIb research was multicentre, prospective, double-blind, randomised and placebo-controlled.

Commenting on the results, lead investigator professor Rudolf Arnold of the Philipps-University Marburg in Germany said the drug had a “proven track record” of treating flushing and severe diarrhea, which is associated with neuroendocrine tumours.

He continued: “Sandostatin ? helps control tumour growth in patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumours of the midgut.

“We saw the greatest benefit in those patients who were newly diagnosed and who had fewer liver metastases,” Mr Arnold added.

It was announced last month by Novartis that one of its drugs, Zometa, was found to enhance the effect of chemotherapy on reducing breast tumour size.

Results of studies – presented at the CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium – found the product made such growths 33 per cent smaller.