Tarceva (erlotinib), the only EGFR-inhibitor to have shown a survival benefit in lung cancer, will now benefit patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, following FDA's approval in the United States.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of the disease and kills more people within the first year than any other cancer. Tarceva is the first new treatment in a decade that has shown a significant improvement
in overall survival (23%) when added to chemotherapy.
Earlier in October, Roche submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the European health authorities for Tarceva to be used in combination with gemcitabine chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
"Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease, and with Tarceva patients will receive a treatment which offers survival benefits," said William M. Burns, CEO Division Roche Pharma. "We are pleased by the decision from the FDA and are committed to work with health authorities to make Tarceva available to patients elsewhere."
Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in the developed world and is the tenth most frequently occurring cancer in Europe, with a death rate of approximately 78,000 people per year. Pancreatic cancer is difficult to treat, as it is often resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and tends to spread quickly to other parts of the body, leading to its high mortality and short life expectancy.
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