Pfizer's Sutent fails to meet endpoint in NSCLC study; Prevenar 13 gains WHO pre-qualification

In another cancer research setback for global pharma behemoth Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), the firm announced disappointing results with its drug Sutent (sunitinib) yesterday in lung cancer. However, there was also some good news for the company relating to its pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Prevener 13.

Pfizer said that that the SUN 1087 trial of sunitinib in combination with erlotinib (Swiss drug major Roche's Tarceva) versus erlotinib demonstrated a statistically-significant improvement in progression-free but not in overall survival in patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Overall survival was the primary endpoint of the study with progression-free survival a secondary endpoint of the study. No new or unexpected types of adverse events were observed in the study. Pfizer is continuing to analyze study data, and the results have been submitted to the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, October 8-12, 2010 in Milan, Italy.

"While this trial did not demonstrate a statistically-significant improvement in overall survival for patients treated with sunitinib plus erlotinib, we believe that the statistically-significant improvement in progression free survival is an important finding. Over the next few months, we will conduct an in-depth analysis to gain further insight into these results and determine whether we can identify one or more subgroups of non-small cell lung cancer patients for a future trial in either previously untreated or recurrent disease," said Mace Rothenberg, senior vice president of clinical development and medical affairs for Pfizer's Oncology Business Unit.