Novartis reports positive breast cancer data for Afinitor

Novartis has announced new clinical trial data showing that its drug Afinitor (everolimus) can be an effective means of treating advanced breast cancer.

Results from the Bolero-3 phase III study showed that Afinitor plus trastuzumab and vinorelbine significantly extended progression-free survival among women with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positive (HER2-positive) advanced breast cancer.

A 22 percent reduction in the risk of disease progression was seen with the addition of Afinitor to trastuzumab and vinorelbine among heavily pretreated patients, thus meeting the primary endpoint goal of the trial.

Everolimus is approved as Afinitor in more than 65 countries – including the US and the EU member states – and was highlighted as one of Novartis' key growth products in its financial report for the first quarter of 2013.

Alessandro Riva, global head for oncology development and medical affairs at Novartis Oncology, said: "We plan to share the Bolero-3 data with regulatory health authorities worldwide."