Erbitux fails in Ph III pancreatic cancer trial

New York, USA-based firms ImClone Systems and Bristol-Myers Squibb say that a Phase III study of the anticancer drug Erbitux (cetuximab) as a treatment for pancreatic cancer has failed to reach its endpoint of improved overall survival. The results showed that Erbitux, in combination with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, did not extend patient survival beyond that achieved by chemotherapy alone.

The study, which was conducted in collaboration with the Southwest Oncology Group, was an open-label, randomized comparison of the drug plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in the first-line treatment of more than 700 patients with pancreatic cancer.

As Eric Rowinsky, ImClone's senior vice president, explained, the study was designed to examine Phase II results which suggested that the agent may have a role in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. He added that the firm "still considers pancreatic cancer to be of the utmost priority," and "intends to pursue additional evaluations with Erbitux," including in combination with bevacizumab in the treatment of such patients.