European Commission (EC) has approved the oral 5-FU drug Xeloda (Capecitabine, manufactured by Roche) in combination therapy with a platinum chemo for treatment of advanced stomach cancer. Approval was based on two trials, ML17032 and REAL 2, that showed comparable or better survival rates to standard therapy. Common side effects included diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, stomatitis and hand-foot syndrome.
Another Roche drug in the EU, anti-angiogenic biologic Avastin (bevacizumab, manufactured by Genentech and marketed by Roche) has been approved for treating metastatic breast cancer in combination with paclitaxel. Approval was based on the Phase III trial data E2100 which showed twice the survival rate over paclitaxel treatment alone. Common side effects included diarrhea, fatigue, increased chance of infection, loss of appetite, loss of hair, mouth sores, nausea, rash on the hands and feet, tingling or numbness in fingers or toes, and vomiting.
Source: PharmaLive website.