Exelixis
and Pfizer drugs compete in kidney cancer trial
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[October 10, 2016]
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Exelixis's
drug Cabometyx outperformed Pfizer's Sutent in a clinical study for the
treatment of metastatic kidney cancer, suggesting it has the potential
to become a first-line treatment, researchers said on Monday.
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The drug is currently approved only in patients who have already
received prior therapy, while Sutent is cleared for initial use.
However, hopes have been building for the Exelixis product in recent
months, buoying the firm's shares.
The Phase II study results presented at the European Society for
Medical Oncology congress showed a 31 percent reduction in disease
progression or death among patients on Cabometyx compared to those
on Sutent. People on Cabometyx on average went 8.2 months before
their disease worsened against 5.6 months for those taking Sutent.
"This data shows that cabozantinib (Cabometyx) has the potential to
become a first-line standard treatment," said study leader Toni
Choueiri of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
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Exelixis said it planned to file for U.S. regulatory approval to
sell Cabometyx as a treatment of first-line advanced kidney cancer
on the basis of the latest clinical data.
Commenting on the findings, Bernard Escudier of France's Institut
Gustave-Roussy recommended additional studies using the drug in the
first-line setting but said the results raised hopes for further
improvements in treatment.
Ipsen has rights to Exelixis's drug in some markets.
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Pfizer, meanwhile, had more positive news for its established
medicine Sutent with a Phase III study showing that it worked well
in patients who had part or all of a kidney removed.
Disease-free survival was 6.8 years with Sutent against 5.6 years
with a placebo in the trial, which was the first to show such an
improvement in the post-surgery setting.
(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by David Evans, Greg Mahlich)
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