Merck Serono highlights growing prominence of Erbitux

Merck Serono has published data which illustrates the growing prominence of its KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment Erbitux.

The pharmaceutical company has conducted a survey showing that the number of patients using KRAS biomarker testing to establish whether they will benefit from personalised therapy has risen from 2.5 per cent in 2008 to 42 per cent last year.

Additionally, 44 per cent of those confirmed to have KRAS wild-type tumours subsequently go on to receive Erbitux treatment.

Merck Serono stated that this shows its drug has become a new standard of care for sufferers of the disease, as well as a fundamental shift in the way the illness is treated.

Dr Wolfgang Wein, executive vice-president of oncology at Merck Serono, said: “The latest data for Erbitux provides powerful motivation for the oncology community to ensure that KRAS testing becomes a standard diagnostic tool for mCRC.”

Last week, Merck Serono announced it is to launch a new global campaign to increase awareness of multiple sclerosis and the realities of living with the condition.