FDA Approves Genentech’s Avastin (Bevacizumab) Plus Chemotherapy to Treat Women with Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Genentech has announced that the FDA approved Avastin in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of women with platinum-resistant, recurrent ovarian cancer. The approval was based on results from the Phase III AURELIA study that showed Avastin plus chemotherapy reduced the risk of disease worsening or death (progression-free survival or PFS) by 62% compared to women who received chemotherapy alone (median PFS: 6.8 versus 3.4 months, Hazard Ratio (HR)=0.38; p<0.0001). Adverse events were consistent with those seen in previous trials of Avastin across tumour types for approved indications, but also included high blood pressure and pain, redness or swelling of the hands or feet from the Phase III study.

"Avastin plus chemotherapy is the first new treatment option for women with this difficult-to-treat type of ovarian cancer in more than 15 years,” said Sandra Horning, chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development. “Risk of the disease worsening was reduced by 62% for women who received Avastin plus chemotherapy in the study, and a notable treatment effect was observed with paclitaxel, which may be important when choosing treatment."

The new indication of Avastin is in combination with paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin or topotecan chemotherapy for the treatment of women with platinum-resistant, recurrent, epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who have received no more than two prior chemotherapy regimens. With this approval, Avastin is approved in the US to treat six distinct tumour types.