Roche reports positive glioblastoma trial data for Avastin

Roche has reported positive data from a phase III clinical trial that demonstrates the benefits its drug Avastin can provide in the treatment of brain cancer.

Results from the AVAglio study showed that Avastin, in combination with radiation and temozolomide chemotherapy, was able to deliver progression-free survival benefits for patients with newly-diagnosed glioblastoma.

This is the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer, with around 240,000 new cases of the disease diagnosed each year.

Currently, Avastin is approved for the treatment of glioblastoma as a single agent in many countries, while a handful of others have also ratified it in combination with irinotecan for this disease.

Dr Hal Barron, chief medical officer and head of global product development at Roche, said: "Patients who received Avastin plus radiation and chemotherapy lived significantly longer without their disease getting worse and we plan to discuss this data with regulatory authorities."

This comes after Avastin recently received regulatory approval in the EU to be used in an expanded colorectal cancer indication.