Roche's Avastin launched in UK for RCC

Roche's Avastin (bevacizumab) has been launched in the UK for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell cancer in combination with interferon, the current standard-of-care. The Swiss drug major noted that its angiogenesis blocker plus interferon doubled progression-free survival compared with interferon alone in RCC.

According to the firm, PFS increased from a median of 5.4 to 10.2 months, while tumor response was significantly increased from 12.8% with interferon alone to 31.4% when bevacizumab was added to the treatment regimen. The overall survival data from the AVOREN study is still being collected and will be confirmed at a later date. No new or unexpected adverse events were observed, the firm noted, adding that the most common severe side effects were fatigue and asthenia.

The agent is currently undergoing a Multiple Technology Appraisal by the the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the UK advisory body which recommends drugs in England and Wales under the National Health Service, alongside three other treatments for RCC. The NICE's guidance is expected on January 2009 but, until then, UK physicians can prescribe Avastin to their kidney cancer patients if appropriate, says Roche. Department of Health Good Practice Guidance states that it is not acceptable to cite lack of NICE guidance as a reason for not prescribing a specific treatment.