Two drugs don't boost lung cancer survival: Roche

By Emma Thomasson and Ben Hirschler

ZURICH/LONDON (Reuters) - Roche Holding AG and Genentech Inc said on Monday a study into the benefits of combining their Tarceva and Avastin drugs for lung cancer patients did not show an increase in overall survival.

Both drugs are targeted therapies -- modern medicines which act as "smart bombs" by crippling cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact. It had been hoped that adding them together would extend patients' lives.

Roche and Genentech said on Monday a Phase III study investigated the addition of Avastin to Tarceva compared with Tarceva alone for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer.

The study did not show a significant increase in overall survival with the Avastin-Tarceva combination compared with Tarceva alone.

But there was evidence of an increase in the time patients lived without their disease getting worse as well as the response rate when Avastin was added to Tarceva compared with Tarceva alone.

Deutsche Bank analysts said the result was "somewhat disappointing" as combining the two drugs was an attractive treatment option, with the potential to increase efficacy without undue side effects.

But the high cost -- around $12,000 a month -- meant using both drugs would only be considered if there was convincing clinical data.

Roche said further analysis was needed and the full results of the study would be submitted for presentation at a conference on thoracic oncology in Chicago next month.