NICE has decided that Tarceva (erlotinib, manufactured by Genentech in the US and distributed by Roche outside of US) costs too much compared with the benefit that NICE has assessed to be limited. This will add flames to the controversy that began with access to another cancer drug, Herceptin (same manufacturers as for erlotinib), for treating breast cancer in the UK. NICE compared the effectiveness of Tarceva with Taxotere (docetaxel, manufactured by sanofi-aventis) and concluded that the data did not show Tarceva presented significant benefits to warrant the higher cost associated with therapy. This does not mean the book is shut to Tarceva, as NICE plans to review Tarceva again in February 2008. Source: Reuters UK. You may also check NICE’s consultation docket for erlotinib here.
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GlaxoSmithKline is the manufacturer of Tykerb (lapatinib), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets HER2 (ErbB2) to prevent cell growth and proliferation. Tykerb is still an investigational drug and has not been approved by the FDA. The manufacturer has announced that the New England Journal of Medicine has published a landmark phase III trial results of Tykerb and Xeloda in HER2 positive advanced breast cancer that had already been treated with therapies including (More …)
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TargetingTumors.com
U.S. FDA has expanded the approved use of Herceptin (trastuzumab, made by Genentech) in early stage breast cancer after surgery. In this expanded use, Herceptin would be used in combination with other cancer drugs (combination therapy). Herceptin is already approved in treating breast cancer that is localized to the breast or after lymph nodes have been removed. Herceptin is one of the first biological cancer drugs to come on market that targets a specific cell receptor - the HER2 receptor. Cancer cells have abnormal amounts of this receptor, which allows them to grow quickly. Patients who have tested positive for the HER2 receptor are therefore candidates for Herceptin therapy. Source: FDA website. You may also visit Genentech’s Herceptin website.