Biosedix' Veristrat predicts EGFR survival benefit

Strong data on VeriStrat, a blood-based, proteomic test developed by the USA's Biosedix and currently used for patients with advanced-stage  non-small cell lung cancer, will be presented at the annual meeting of  the American Society of Clinical Oncology in a few weeks.

Results from a 314-patient study indicate that VeriStrat is predictive  of survival benefit in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head  and neck treated with epidermal growth factor inhibitors. According to  the findings, VeriStrat provides information to help oncologists  identify patients most likely to benefit from EGFRI therapy.

In the study, VeriStrat was used to classify outcomes in patients with  SCCHN who were treated with gefitinib, erlotinib and bevacizumab,  cetuximab or palliative chemotherapy. Gefitinib, erlotinib and  cetuximab are EGFRIs with activity in SCCHN. Results from the study show  that, among patients treated with EGFRIs, VeriStrat predicted an  overall survival benefit (p=0.007, p=0.02, p=0.06, for each of the three  drugs, respectively). VeriStrat did not classify survival outcomes in  patients given palliative chemotherapy (p=0.76).