Roche’s Tarceva recommended as first-line lung cancer therapy by CHMP

Roche has welcomed the decision of Europe's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) to recommend its drug Tarceva as a first-line therapy for a certain type of lung cancer.

The European Medicines Agency committee has backed the treatment for use among those with epidermal growth factor receptor-activating mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on positive data from phase III clinical trials.

Presently, Tarceva is approved in Europe against advanced or metastatic NSCLC both as a maintenance treatment and when the cancer has progressed following at least one course of chemotherapy.

However, studies have shown that use of the drug as a first-line monotherapy could yield progression-free survival benefits.

Dr Hal Barron, chief medical officer and head of global product development at Roche, said: "The CHMP positive opinion for Tarceva is an important step in bringing a personalised medicine option to people with lung cancer."

Earlier this month, the company published positive study data on a new combination therapy for breast cancer involving its developmental compound pertuzumab.