Pfizer reports encouraging data for new breast cancer therapy

Pfizer has announced results from a clinical trial of a promising new palbociclib-based treatment for advanced breast cancer.

The Paloma-1 study assessed the benefits of palbociclib and letrozole compared with letrozole alone in postmenopausal women with ER-positive, HER2-negative locally advanced or newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer.  

It was revealed that Pfizer's new therapy was associated with a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival rates. Results from this study will be discussed with regulatory bodies in the US and elsewhere.

The company is also currently enrolling patients for a randomised global phase III trial of the treatment, dubbed Paloma-2.

Dr Mace Rothenberg, senior vice-president of clinical development and medical affairs and chief medical officer for Pfizer Oncology, said: "We are delighted with the final data, which suggest the potential for palbociclib to transform the standard of care for postmenopausal women with ER-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer."

This comes after the firm last month announced positive data from a new study of ALO-2, its new therapy for moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain.