Pfizer announces new collaborative breast cancer drug trial

Pfizer has announced the launch of a new collaboratively-managed phase III trial to assess the performance of its breast cancer drug Ibrance.

The company is allying with Alliance Foundation Trials and the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group to launch the Palbociclib Collaborative Adjuvant Study, also known as PALLAS.

This global phase III clinical trial for patients with early-stage breast cancer will evaluate whether the addition of Ibrance to standard therapy can improve disease-free survival rates and prevent the disease from recurring.

Patients treated in this study will have cancers that are hormone receptor-positive, meaning their growth is fueled by the hormone oestrogen, but are negative for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2.

It is being conducted in conjunction with Breast International Group, German Breast Group , National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project and PrECOG.

Dr Maria Koehler, vice-president of strategy, innovation and collaborations for Pfizer Oncology, said: "Working together, we will be able to efficiently answer important clinical questions in order to potentially bring Ibrance to patients with early-stage breast cancer who need the treatment most."