1. Scrip
  2. >>Business
  3. >>Strategy

Roche's Post-Avastin Strategy Stumbles As Vanucizumab Fails In Phase II

 
• By Lucie Ellis-Taitt

Roche's development plans for a follow-on Avastin product have been called into question after the company noted briefly in its third-quarter earnings update that the drug failed in a Phase II study in colorectal cancer patients.

Blockbuster Avastin (bevacizumab) is one of Roche's best-selling drugs – producing sales of CHF5.1bn for the first nine months of the year – but the company's plans to develop a second-generation version, known as vanucizumab, have faltered in Phase II.

Roche has not reported data from the Phase II study of vanucizumab in colorectal cancer, nor has it said if...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Strategy

More from Business

Japan Results Roundup: Reduced Forex Impact, Uncertain US Tariff Outlook

 
• By Lisa Takagi

Most major Japanese firms report generally positive fiscal first quarter results, led by mainstay growth and despite lower currency effects. But the future impact of any US pharma tariffs remains an overhang.

In Brief: Bayer Commits Up To $1.3bn For Kumquat’s KRAS G12D Inhibitor

 
• By Mary Jo Laffler

Deal Snapshot: Bayer will take over development of the asset once Kumquat completes a Phase Ia clinical trial, but the biotech firm may opt in to share US profits and losses.

S&E In Brief: Launch Updates And Political Headwinds

 
• By Sushmita Panda

Madrigal and Syndax update investors on their key launches, while Merck KGaA weighs in on the possibility of direct-to-consumer sales in the US.