Findings from an exploratory analysis of late-stage study data showed that Avastin (bevacizumab) plus chemotherapy extended the lives of patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung by an additional four months, compared with chemotherapy alone, Roche announced Thursday.

The randomised E4599 trial enrolled 878 patients with locally advanced, metastatic or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer, with histology other than predominant squamous cell. An analysis of data from the sub-group of patients with adenocarcinoma showed that those treated with Avastin plus paclitaxel and carboplatin had a 45-percent improved chance of survival compared with those in the chemotherapy-alone group. Specifically, those patients experienced a median overall survival of 14.2 months, versus 10.3 months in patients treated with chemotherapy alone.

Avastin generated sales of 4.1 billion Swiss francs ($3.4 billion) in 2007.

Source: FirstWord

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