Genentech Drops Actimmune For Renal Cell Carcinoma

Genentech has decided to discontinue the development of its Actimmune (interferon gamma-1b) product as a treatment for renal cell carcinoma, following lackluster results from its Phase III trials of the drug.

Data have now been analyzed from Genentech's two Phase III trials of the drug. The first was an open-label, non-randomized US study while the second was a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled Canadian study. The response rate to Actimmune was about the same in both studies, and the placebo-controlled study found no statistically-significant difference in response rate, response duration, time to progression or survival between the active and control groups.

Actimmune is marketed for the treatment of chronic granulomatous disease in the USA. Genentech was also conducting these studies on behalf of Boehringer Ingelheim, which has European rights to the drug.