Novartis reveals Femara efficacy

Novartis has announced that its once-a-day oral aromatase inhibitor, Femara, has been approved in Germany for after-surgery use in postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer.

The Swiss-based company has also said that it expects to receive concurring approval in other European countries in the near future.

“This new approval of Femara offers these women an effective treatment after surgery to help protect them from their cancer returning,” said David Epstein, president and chief executive officer, Novartis Oncology.

“The superior efficacy of aromatase inhibitors over tamoxifen has led physicians and patients to ask which drug in this class is the most effective in the adjuvant setting. This is why Novartis has made a significant commitment to sponsor the Face [Femara versus Anastrozole Clinical Evaluation] trial.”

The BIG 1-98 study, which compared Femara to tamoxifen found that Femara reduced the risk of breast cancer recurring in patients after surgery by almost one fifth (19 per cent) more.

Novartis said that Femara was most effective at preventing recurrence in women with the highest risk of this happening.

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