AbbVie begins phase III trial of breast cancer drug

AbbVie has began a phase III trial of the investigational compound veliparib (ABT-888), which it hopes could benefit patients with advanced-stage breast cancer.

It will combine the compound with the chemotherapeutic medicines carboplatin and paclitaxel and compare this to a treatment of carboplatin, paclitaxel and a placebo when used on patients with HER2-negative breast cancer containing BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 gene mutations.

Approximately 270 patients will take part in the trial and executive vice-president of research and development and chief executive officer at AbbVie Michael Severino described the phase III programme as "an innovative approach" to developing anti-cancer compounds of this type.

"This is the third Phase III trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of veliparib, and the second evaluating the addition of veliparib to chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with difficult-to-treat forms of breast cancer," he explained.

AbbVie, which was founded in 2013 following separation from Abbott, recently expanded its manufacturing facility in Sligo, Ireland following an 85 million euros (68 million pounds) investment.