Pfizer cancer drug addition ‘can improve CMF therapy for breast cancer’

The addition of epirubicin to a chemotherapy cycle of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF) can significantly improve relapse-free rates and overall survival in women with early breast cancer, according to new research.

Epirubicin, marketed by Pfizer in many countries as Pharmorubicin, was used by researchers in the UK in two trials involving 2,391 women with early breast cancer, comparing CMF treatment with and without epirubicin.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the two year relapse-free survival rate for the group treated with both CMF and epirubicin was 91 per cent, compared to 85 per cent for those treated with CMF only.

Furthermore, the five year relapse survival rate for patients receiving both therapies was 76 per cent, while 69 per cent of CMF-only patients achieved this. Overall survival times were also higher for the epirubicin-plus-CMF groups.

However, there was a greater incidence of adverse effects in the epirubicin patient population, although the researchers said that this did not significantly affect quality of life.

The authors concluded: “On the basis of the results in 75 centers, we recommend epirubicin plus CMF as an option for anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy in women with early breast cancer.”

In recent years, epirubicin has been the subject of patent challenges from generic drug manufacturers. In 2005, Mayne Pharma challenged the patent in UK courts unsuccessfully. However, the British patent for epirubicin expired this June.