Data show ELOXATIN-based therapy combined with Bevacizumab improves survival.

2004 DEC 29 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Podvin +331-53-77-4223

Patients who received ELOXATIN-based chemotherapy (FOLFOX4) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) showed a statistically significant improvement in overall survival in a large randomized clinical study sponsored by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG).

Preliminary results announced are showing a 26% reduction in the risk of death for patients receiving FOLFOX4 plus bevacizumab (Avastin) compared to FOLFOX4 alone.

According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, researchers found that the patients in the trial who received bevacizumab in combination with FOLFOX4 had a median overall survival of 12.5 months compared to patients treated with FOLFOX4 alone, who had a median overall survival of 10.7 months. This difference is statistically significant and corresponds to a 17% improvement in median overall survival. There was a 26% reduction in the risk of death (hazard ratio of 0.74) for patients in this study who received bevacizumab plus FOLFOX4 compared to those who received FOLFOX4 alone.

"The results of E3200 are very important for doctors and their patients suffering from advanced colorectal cancer. It is the first positive phase III study suggesting that the efficacy of the current standard ELOXATIN-based FOLFOX4 regimen in metastatic colorectal cancer may be enhanced by the addition of bevacizumab," said Sunil Gupta MD, sanofi-aventis, senior director of oncology clinical development. "This is the first clinical confirmation that biological agents such as bevacizumab will add to the efficacy of the FOLFOX4 regimen in metastatic colorectal cancer. Additional studies of this combination are ongoing in other colorectal cancer settings," Gupta continued.

The study, a phase III randomized study of oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin calcium with or ...