Experimental lung cancer drug improves survival in late-stage trial

Experimental lung cancer drug improves survival in late-stage trial

19/2/2014

The non-small cell lung cancer trial compared ramucirumab (designed to treat multiple tumors) combined with docetaxel, with a placebo combined with docetaxel.

The experimental cancer drug is being developed by Eli Lilly and Co, and has already been shown be successful in treating stomach cancer. Lilly is waiting for approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market it for that disease.

The latest results could help allay some concerns about the drug after it failed to delay the progression of breast cancer in a late-stage trial last year.

The late-stage lung cancer trial compared a combination of ramucirumab and a common chemotherapy drug, docetaxel, with a combination of a placebo and docetaxel in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

The trial, known as Revel, showed that ramucirumab significantly improved overall survival rates as well as improving survival rates without the cancer worsening.

Lilly did not provide details of the trial results, which it said would be presented at a scientific meeting. The company said it planned to submit the first application for marketing approval later this year, and that data from two other studies to test the drug's effectiveness to treat liver and colorectal cancer are expected later this year.

 

Source: Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/19/us-lilly-study-lungcancer-idUSBREA1I11L20140219