Novartis reports positive results for kidney cancer drug

Novartis has reported that its investigational drug everolimus (RAD001) significantly extends progression-free survival in kidney cancer patients after failure of other targeted therapy.

Reports arrive following the decision by an independent monitoring committee to stop a phase III trial of the candidate after interim results showed that it had met its primary endpoint.

The interim findings are now to be shared with investigators and patients on placebo are to be offered everolimus.

Everolimus tablets, when taken once-daily, demonstrated high effective anti-tumour activity through continuous targeted inhibition of the mTOR protein.

Daniel Vasella, chairman and chief executive officer of Novartis, indicated that everolimus had the “potential” to help patients with advanced kidney cancer who previously had no other treatment options.

“Patients in the clinical trial on everolimus experienced a significantly longer period of time during which their cancer did not progress,” he added.

Complete results of the study are to be submitted as a late-breaking abstract for presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting.

Earlier this week, Novartis announced that it was set to launch Eucreas [Galvus (vildagliptin) and metformin] in the European Union as a novel treatment for type two diabetes.