Roche presents positive Tarceva trial data at ESMO

Roche has presented positive phase III study data on its lung cancer drug Tarceva during this year's European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress.

The pharmaceutical company has highlighted data from the recent Optimal clinical trial, showing that first-line Tarceva can help to treble the length of progression-free survival compared to traditional chemotherapy.

It is hoped that this data can be used to support Roche's efforts to get the treatment ratified by European regulators in a new indication, as a first-line monotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer sufferers with epidermal growth factor receptor-activating mutations.

In addition, phase II trial data was presented to ESMO delegates which demonstrated the efficacy of Tarceva when combined with the monovalent antibody MetMAb.

Dr Richard Scheller, head of research and early development at Roche subsidiary Genentech, said the latter study shows "how a targeted, personalised approach may help improve outcomes in this hard-to-treat disease".

Earlier this month, Roche announced the acquisition of danoprevir, a new hepatitis C treatment, from fellow healthcare firm InterMune.