Avastin to become new standard for HER2 MBC

Based on the US Food and Drug Administration's recent accelerated approval of Roche's Avastin (bevacizumab) in the treatment of HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer plus paclitaxel, oncologists will more than double their use of the drug as both a first- and second-line therapy, according to a survey conducted by USA-based GfK Market Measures.

The FDA's decision in February (Marketletter March 3) surprised industry observers as last year its Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted five to four against approving the combination, arguing that the benefits did not outweigh the risks of toxicity (Marketletter December 10, 2007).

Following Avastin's approval, oncologists anticipated doubling their use of the drug as a first-line therapy for MBC, intending to use it in over one half of patients. GfK Market Measures' 2008 Avastin Market Event Study now finds a similar trend in their expected increased use of Avastin as a second-line therapy, as well as greater third-line use. Oncologists already using Avastin off-label prior to approval said that its progression-free survival benefit was the main reason why they would use the drug.