Bayer HealthCare begins new colorectal cancer drug trial

Bayer HealthCare has announced the commencement of a new phase III trial evaluating its drug Stivarga in a new colorectal cancer indication.

The company has begun enrolling patients for Coast, which aims to assess the regorafenib-based tablet therapy as an adjuvant treatment of colorectal cancer following resection of liver metastases with curative intent.

Approximately 750 patients will be given either Stivarga or placebo, with the purpose of establishing whether Bayer's drug is able to improve rates of disease-free survival and overall survival among patients.

Many advanced colorectal cancer patients experience disease recurrence despite curative surgery, meaning there is a need for new treatment options.

Dr Jorg Moller, member of the Bayer HealthCare executive committee and head of global development, said: "The Coast trial is another step forward in Bayer's ongoing commitment to explore the full clinical potential of regorafenib for colorectal cancer patients across different stages of this disease."

This comes after the company began a phase III study assessing its drug Xarelto for the treatment of symptomatic venous thromboembolism earlier this month.