Study: Roche's Avastin extends survival in patients with colorectal cancer

Roche reported Thursday that Avastin (bevacizumab) met the main goal of improving overall survival in a late-stage trial investigating the drug in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. The ML 18147 study showed that patients given Avastin plus standard chemotherapy as an initial treatment followed by use of Avastin with a different chemotherapy after cancer progressed lived significantly longer than people who received only chemotherapy in the second-line setting. Hal Barron, Roche's chief medical officer, noted that "this is the first randomised study which demonstrates improved survival in people who continue on an Avastin-based regimen after the disease has progressed."