Sanofi-aventis presents new data on cancer drug cabazitaxel

Sanofi-aventis has published new data from a clinical study which supports the efficacy of cabazitaxel among certain metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients.

According to results from the phase III trial, patients who had previously failed to respond to docetaxel-based chemotherapy were able to achieve improved survival rates using cabazitaxel than those on an alternative chemotherapy regimen.

Risk of death among subjects using Sanofi-aventis’ investigational drug decreased by 28 per cent, while their median survival time increased from 12.7 months to 15.1 months.

Dr Marc Cluzel, executive vice-president of research and development at Sanofi-aventis, described the updated trial results as “impressive”.

The firm’s senior vice-president of global oncology Dr Debasish Roychowdhury added: “The development of cabazitaxel is one of many investigational compounds we hope to present to the cancer community in the months and years to come.”

Earlier this month, Sanofi-aventis commenced a new phase IIIb trial for Multaq, a new treatment for permanent atrial fibrillation.