Bayer HealthCare begins phase III trial of new GIST drug

Bayer HealthCare has initiated a new phase III trial of regorafenib, an investigational compound for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST).

The pharmaceutical company has begun to enrol patients for the international study, which will aim to evaluate the drug as a means of prolonging survival among cancer patients who have proven unresponsive to other treatments.

Around 170 patients will be involved in the trial of regorafenib, an oral multi-kinase inhibitor targeting angiogenic, stromal and oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases.

It is hoped that the study will build upon the positive results seen in a previous phase II trial, which demonstrated strong indicators of clinical activity.

Dr Kemal Malik, a member of the board of management and head of global development at Bayer HealthCare, said: "The initiation of a phase III clinical trial for regorafenib is a critical step towards a potential new treatment option for GIST patients."

Earlier this month, Bayer HealthCare submitted an application to the European Medicines Agency for approval of its drug Xarelto for new indications among atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolism sufferers.