Merck Serono to present Erbitux data at ESMO

Merck Serono has announced plans to present new clinical data on its cancer treatment Erbitux at a forthcoming medical conference in Milan.

During the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress this month, the firm will highlight phase III study data which illustrates the value of KRAS biomarker-based treatments such as Erbitux in combating metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Other studies will show the efficacy of Erbitux as a treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, a condition for which it is the only proven targeted therapy.

In addition, Merck Serono will present the first results from a phase II trial of the drug in new specifications against prostate cancer and triple negative breast cancer.

The firm states that these are important developments, given the lack of treatment options available for the conditions.

According to research issued by Merck Serono in July 2010, Erbitux has become an increasingly important cancer therapy option in recent years, due to the growing prevalence of KRAS testing in treating mCRC.