The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs has approved Avastin in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy for the treatment of malignant gliomas, including newly diagnosed glioblastoma, said Swiss group Roche, manufacturer of the drug, in a press release.
Gliomas are brain tumors that affect the supporting tissue or glia of the brain. These are tumors linked to the proliferation of cells that surround neurons, glial cells. There are 4000 to 5000 new cases each year in France, especially in people between 50 and 60 years old. The majority of them are cancerous straight away, and those who are not often become cancerous after a few years. Their severity is due to the fact that they gradually enlarge and compress the brain. On the other hand, even when they are cancerous, these tumors do not give rise to metastases.
Therapeutic options currently available to treat malignant gliomas, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer, are limited, Roche Laboratories pointed out.
Patients treated with Avastin in combination with radiation therapy and temozolomide chemotherapy were able to live significantly longer without their cancer getting worse, the group argued, referring to a pivotal study.
Avastin is already approved in several countries for breast, lung, kidney, ovarian and colorectal cancer. It is sometimes also used for treat AMD, excluding AMM (marketing authorization).
In the first quarter of 2013, this drug generated sales of 1.5 billion Swiss francs (1.2 billion euros).
