Wyeth analyses reaffirms efficacy and safety of Torisel

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has announced the results of two new analyses of a pivotal study of Torisel (temsirolimus) in patients with advanced kidney cancer at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

The firm said that Torisel significantly increased median overall survival in these patients by 49 per cent when compared to interferon-alpha.

Torisel is a mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor and is the only renal cancer therapy proven to extend median overall in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) compared to interferon-alpha.

It specifically inhibits the mTOR kinase which regulates cell growth, cell survival and cell proliferation.

Joseph S Camardo, senior vice-president, global medical affairs at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, said: “In summary, these analyses provide clinicians with additional information about the efficacy and safety of Torisel for the treatment of advanced RCC patients.”

He added that the company is dedicated to the ongoing study of mTOR inhibition via Torisel as a treatment for a range of cancers.

In November 2007, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals announced that Torisel had been approved for use by the European Commission as a first-line treatment for RCC patients with three of six prognostic risk factors.