Bristol-Myers Squibb drug demonstrates ‘significant improvement’ in breast cancer patients

At the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) this week, Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced the results of a phase III clinical study of its investigational treatment for advanced metastatic breast cancer – ixabepilone.

The study results – which will also be part of the Best of Asco program – indicated that patients administered with the compound in addition to capecitabine showed an improvement in progression-free survival compared to those treated solely with capecitabine.

Patients in this clinical trial had previously received at least two treatment regimens – anthracycline and taxane – with their disease not responding or rapidly progressing through these therapies.

Renzo Canetta, vice-president of oncology global clinical research at Bristol-Myers Squibb, said: “Patients whose disease is no longer responding to currently approved chemotherapies have few proven treatment options available to them.”

He added that data from this phase III clinical trial would provide vital information regarding the use of ixabepilone, especially in metastatic breast cancer patients who have shown resistance to treatment with anthracyclines and taxanes.

In August 2006, Datamonitor published a report predicting the increasing use of therapeutic treatments for cancer – including those from Bristol-Myers Squibb – in preference to the administration of cytotoxic drugs used in chemotherapy.