The European Commission has approved Roche's oral chemotherapy Xeloda for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with any chemotherapy with or without Avastin.
The approval of the new indication will allow more patients that have colorectal cancer that has spread to be able to take advantage of the treatment. Pivotal studies demonstrated that Xeloda tablets provided patients with a more flexible treatment that delivered the same survival rates as previously standard chemotherapy treatments. Other studies have shown Xeloda to be more effective than other standard therapies.
"Colorectal cancer is a devastating disease and treatment options for patients have been limited," said Professor Jim Cassidy, Cancer Research UK Professor of Oncology and Chair of Medical Oncology, Beatson Oncology Centre, at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. "Until now, Xeloda has been available to only a few colorectal cancer patients. But several studies have now shown that almost all patients with colorectal cancer that has spread can benefit from Xeloda at any time and in combination with any chemotherapy treatment. It is a highly effective oral chemotherapy that reduces hospital treatment time by 160 hours compared to the old standard chemotherapy, allowing patients to live as normal a life as possible."
[Source: Pharmabiz]
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