Roche reported more positive data on T-DM1 in its latest breast cancer trial with 137 women. In this study, T-DM1 (aka trastuzumab emtansine) showed a 41% decrease in the progression of disease versus the standard of care -- Herceptin plus Taxotere. T-DM1 kept patients' tumors from spreading an average of 5 months longer than the standard control. T-DM1 also had only about half the reported side effects and only 25% as many patients dropped out of treatment as the standard due to adverse events. Thus T-DM1 was better tolerated by patients.
This is more good news for Roche and its partner Immunogen in their quest to gain FDA approval for T-DM1, the latest antibody drug conjugate ("empowered antibody") to seek approval. Thus the empowered T-DM1 appears to work better than its parent Herceptin plus standard chemotherapy. Immunogen -- responsible for linking emtansine to Herceptin -- stands to gain as well from milestones and royalties when T-DM1 is finally approved. Phase III results still await but the trend is positive. See Fierce Biotech and Xconomy.
Posted by Bruce Lehr Sep 26th 2011.
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