Roche breast cancer drug approved in Europe

Roche has announced that its cancer treatment Avastin (bevacizumab) has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in combination with standard chemotherapy paclitaxel.

This approval follows the results of a phase III clinical study showing that women with metastatic breast cancer administered with Avastin and paclitaxel had the chance to live double their progression-free survival compared to those treated solely with paclitaxel.

Avastin is an anti-angiogenic agent that targets the naturally-occurring vascular endothelial growth factor protein in order to restrict the blood supply essential for tumour growth and spread.

The compound was approved in Europe as a first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in January 2005.

William M Burns, chief executive officer of Roche Pharmaceuticals, said: “Today’s approval represents a significant advancement in breast cancer therapy. We are proud to launch this significant new treatment option.”

He added that the firm would aim to make access to Avastin as wide as possible to doctors and those suffering from metastatic breast cancer.

Last month, Roche reported that Avastin is currently the subject of ongoing phase III trials investigating the use of the compound to treat metastatic breast cancer in combination with docetaxel and other chemotherapies.