Roche study shows benefits of subcutaneous Herceptin

Roche has published new clinical data from a phase III study of its breast cancer treatment Herceptin, showing the benefits of a new subcutaneous administration method.

Data from the HannaH study of women with HER2-positive early breast cancer shows that a subcutaneous injection of Herceptin can offer comparable efficacy to the standard intravenous infusion method.

At the same time, it can offer much greater convenience, thanks to the less invasive nature of the technique and the quicker administration time, taking around five minutes rather than 30 to 90 minutes.

Not only is this preferable for patients, but it could also help to reduce healthcare costs, leading Roche to file for European regulatory approval of the new treatment method.

Dr Hal Barron, chief medical officer and head of global product development at Roche, said: "The subcutaneous formulation of Herceptin provides an alternative to intravenous Herceptin and is an important treatment option for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer."

Earlier this month, the company published positive clinical data from a study of its rheumatoid arthritis drug RoActemra, showing its benefits compared to a leading alternative.