Roche vaults into lead in frontline triple negative breast cancer as Tecentriq/Abraxane combo aces progression-free survival
Fast on the heels of a key success for small cell lung cancer, Roche’s Tecentriq team at Genentech has scored another frontline win for the pharma giant.
This time the investigators say that Tecentriq combined with Celgene’s Abraxane significantly improved progression-free survival in triple negative breast cancer — a first in the field.
We don’t know the data, which are being held for a future conference. But the success here puts Roche at the goal line with applications being readied for the FDA and the EMA — with a high percentage shot at success.
The overall survival data here for Impassion 130 are “encouraging,” the company said in their statement, with plans to update on that co-primary endpoint as the trial progresses. They’ll have to do much better than “encouraging” if they plan to retain this lead.
The win here is crucial for Roche, which is playing catch-up with checkpoint leaders Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck. The pharma giant needs to get out well ahead of the competition in key cancer areas if they expect to hold on to their third-ranked position in the market, as AstraZeneca moves ahead with its advantage in one important niche of non-small cell lung cancer.
