Bayer study shows survival benefits of regorafenib in liver cancer

Bayer has announced the results of a phase III clinical trial demonstrating the survival benefits associated with its drug regorafenib.

The therapy, which is approved as a metastatic colorectal cancer therapy under the name Stivarga, was recently assessed in a study called RESORCE, which evaluated its performance in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

This condition is the most common form of liver cancer, with the patients enrolled in this trial having seen their disease continue to progress despite prior treatment with sorafenib. Regorafenib was able to meet its primary endpoint in the study by delivering a statistically significant improvement in overall survival.

Data from the RESORCE study will form the basis for a marketing authorisation application for regorafenib in the treatment of unresectable HCC later this year.

Dr Joerg Moeller, member of the executive committee of Bayer's pharmaceutical division and head of development, said: "With sorafenib having been a major advance in the treatment of unresectable HCC, regorafenib could now become the second proven systemic option for the treatment of liver cancer."

As Stivarga, the drug is approved in 90 countries for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and in more than 70 countries as a therapy for metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumours.