On a quest to treat newly diagnosed lymphoma patients, Roche teases positive pivotal data
A couple of years ago, as generics were eating into the sales of its top three cancer drugs, Roche snagged an early approval for its antibody-drug conjugate Polivy in previously treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. Now, the company’s looking to position the drug as a first-line treatment — and it says it has the topline data from a large, international study to back it up.
Compared to a placebo, Polivy (polatuzumab vedotin) combined with chemotherapy and a version of Roche’s Rituxan helped patients live longer without worsening disease, the pharma said on Monday morning. Patients in the treatment arm received a combination of the chemotherapies cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin along with the steroid prednisone (R-CHP), while those in the placebo arm received cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP).
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