Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), today announced the results of the Phase II study TDM4450g in people with previously untreated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The study compared trastuzumab emtansine (also known as T-DM1) to standard treatment with Herceptin® (trastuzumab) plus docetaxel chemotherapy. The results showed that people who received trastuzumab emtansine experienced a 41 percent reduction in the risk of their disease worsening or death (progression-free survival, PFS) and lived a median of five months longer without their disease worsening.
The data will be presented at the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress in Stockholm on September 25 and were featured in the official press program (Abstract #5001 [LB]).
"The improvement in progression-free survival with fewer side effects seen with trastuzumab emtansine is very exciting," said Hal Barron, M.D., chief medical officer and head, Global Product Development. "We believe this investigational antibody-drug conjugate approach, in which chemotherapy is attached to the antibody and selectively delivered to tumor cells, is an important potential weapon for fighting cancer and we look forward to the Phase III study results with trastuzumab emtansine."
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