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

Novartis Upbeat Even With Entresto Expiry Looming

 
• By Kevin Grogan

Swiss major confident that new oncology drugs will fill revenue gap.

Sarepta Restructures, Cuts 500 Jobs As Elevidys-Related Deaths Impact Sales

 
• By Mandy Jackson

After a second quarter of declining Elevidys sales following two deaths of DMD patients treated with the gene therapy, Sarepta is cutting costs to fund remaining programs and meet debt requirements.

Deal Watch: Debiopharm Takes On Precision Oncology Drug From Repare Collab

 
• By Joseph Haas, Manas Mishra, and Sushmita Panda

Plus deals involving Novartis/Sironax, Neuraxpharm/Dizlin, Recursion/RallyBio, MaaT/Clinigen, Future Pak/Theratechnologies, BerGenBio/Oncoinvent, Xoma/Turnstone and more.

J&J Delivers In Q2 Despite Stelara Drop, Raising Guidance

 
• By Jessica Merrill

Stelara revenues declined 42.7% in the quarter due to biosimilars, but innovative medicines grew 4.9%, surpassing $15bn for the quarter. Although pharma tariffs could be coming, the firm said the impact continues to be hard to predict.

More from Business

J&J Delivers In Q2 Despite Stelara Drop, Raising Guidance

 
• By Jessica Merrill

Stelara revenues declined 42.7% in the quarter due to biosimilars, but innovative medicines grew 4.9%, surpassing $15bn for the quarter. Although pharma tariffs could be coming, the firm said the impact continues to be hard to predict.

PureTech Ponders Way Forward As CEO Exits

 
• By Kevin Grogan

Bharatt Chowrira departs days after firm’s chair stepped down.

Sun’s Alopecia Treatment Debuts In US - Can It Make Up For Lost Time?

 
• By Anju Ghangurde

Sun’s Leqselvi goes up against Lilly's Olumiant and Pfizer's Litfulo, which currently has the broadest label, in the US alopecia market. Can it shake things up early, amid growing activity in the space with several new mechanisms of action being investigated?