GSK announces evaluation of lapatinib

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that Tykerb (lapatinib) is to be evaluated in a phase III clinical study to investigate if adjuvant treatment with the compound improves disease-free survival rates with women in early-stage HER2 (ErbB2)-positive breast cancer.

The international Tykerb evaluation after chemotherapy (Teach) trial will involve 3,000 women at 450 clinical research sites across the world and will ascertain the efficacy of the compound through comparison with a placebo.

Lapatinib is an orally-administered dual kinase inhibitor that blocks the EGFR (ErbB1) and HER2 receptors in cancer cells currently in the latter stages of clinical development for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Dr Paul Goss, director of breast cancer research at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Centre, said: “The initiation of this trial represents another step toward understanding the role of targeted therapies in extending disease-free survival.”

He added that women with HER2-positive breast cancer are at a high risk of recurrence of the disease, with the Teach study being the first to investigate the dual use of EGFR and HER2 inhibitor as a combined therapy with surgical treatment or radiotherapy.

Earlier this month, GSK announced that the European Medicines Agency had granted marketing authorisation for Hycamtin (toptecan HCl) used in combination in cisplatin to treat cervical cancer recurring following radiotherapy.