Roche’s Avastin receives EU ovarian cancer approval

Roche's multipurpose cancer therapy Avastin has received European Commission approval for the treatment of patients with first recurrence of platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer.

The drug has been ratified for use in combination with standard chemotherapy among this specific patient group based on data from the phase III trial Oceans, which demonstrated its progression-free survival benefits.

Avastin is already approved in Europe as a frontline treatment for advanced ovarian cancer and now becomes the first biological therapy available for both newly-diagnosed and recurrent forms of the disease.

Cancers are defined as platinum-sensitive if the condition returns more than six months after the completion of a platinum-based chemotherapy regimen.

Dr Hal Barron Roche's chief medical officer and head of global product development, said: "This EU approval of Avastin is an important advance for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, because very few treatment advances have been made in over a decade for patients with the disease."

This comes after the company reported data from a phase III study in August 2012 showing that Avastin can also help combat glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.