Posted on 10/06/2009 in Pharmaceutical Company Product News Novartis has stated Afinitor (everolimus) continues to reveal potential for treating a number of different cancers.
Data from a recent study shows the tablets are able to shrink the tumours of 33 per cent of patients with relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin's disease.
Although appropriate therapy can cure up to 60 per cent of sufferers, there is a high risk of relapse once treatment is completed and there is currently no remedy to help with this problem.
The company has now started a phase III trial to see how effective the medication is at diffusing large B-cell lymphoma, which is the most common NHL.
Dr Alessandro Riva is executive vice-president of Novartis' oncology development department and commented on the latest data.
"[It shows] an antitumor effect in lymphoma that support the rationale for a phase III study of Afinitor to prevent relapse in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, where there is a significant unmet medical need," he said.
Earlier this month, Novartis released results from investigations showing that its drug Tasigna (nilotinib) demonstrated potential at treating chronic myeloid leukaemia. Other news stories from 10/06/2009
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