Genentech colon cancer drug approved by FDA

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 27 Feb 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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The FDA has approved Genentech Inc. new colon cancer drug which works by starving the tumor (tumour) of blood. It is called Avastin.

Colon cancer patients whose disease has spread to other parts of the body are the target patients for this drug, and this is what the FDA has approved it for.

It is the first of a new type of therapy, it starves the tumors of blood (anti-angiogenesis).

The FDA approved Avastin one month before the deadline.

Jason Kantor, an analyst of WR Hambrecht said 'It is a big step forward for patients, and it's a huge step forward for Genentech.'

Avastin could reach annual global sales of $1.8 billion. It will be on the market in three days' time.

Sanford Bernstein analyst Geoff Porges said 'What is most remarkable is its potential for use in many other tumor types -- other diseases such as renal cancer, pancreatic cancer, even breast cancer, lymphoma, bladder cancer, prostate cancer.'

Avastin was shown to lengthen patients' survival times from 15.6 months (normal chemotherapy alone) to 20.3 months (on Avastin and chemotherapy). The trial consisted of 800 patients.