Bayer HealthCare receives new European approval for Stivarga

Bayer HealthCare has announced that its oncology compound Stivarga has received approval from the European Commission for a second indication.

The product has been ratified for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) who have progressed on or are intolerant to prior treatment with imatinib and sunitinib.

Data from the pivotal phase III study GRID demonstrated that Stivarga was associated with a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival rates compared to placebo in patients with GIST whose disease had progressed after prior treatments.

The drug is already marketed as a therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer, with this new approval coming within a year of its original European approval.

Dr Joerg Moeller, member of the Bayer HealthCare executive committee and head of global development, said: "We are dedicated to exploring solutions for different tumour types and drive innovation to meet the unmet needs of both physicians and patients."

Stivarga is one of the company's five most strategically important products, alongside Xarelto, Eylea, Xofigo and Adempas.