Novartis’ Zometa ‘reduces risk of breast cancer recurrence’

Novartis’ Zometa therapy reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence, a recent study claims.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the trial was undertaken by the Austrian Breast & Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) and revealed the drug reduced the chance of death or return of the disease by 36 per cent, in comparison to hormone therapy on its own.

Commenting on the findings, David Epstein, president and chief executive officer of Novartis Oncology, said the significant reduction in tumour recurrence was encouraging.

He added: “The findings of this landmark trial substantiate the strong anticancer effect of Zometa beyond the well-established benefit of this treatment in preventing bone complications in advanced cancers.”

The ABCSG phase III trial involved over 1,800 postmenopausal women who were in the early stages of the disease and were treated with hormone therapy, following curative surgery and prescription of goserelin.

Based in Basel Switzerland, Novartis’ British sites are in Grimsby and Horsham.