Genentech's Perjeta helps people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer live longer

Jun 23 2012

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), announced today that people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (mBC) lived significantly longer (overall survival) when treated with the combination of Perjeta™ (pertuzumab), Herceptin^® (trastuzumab) and docetaxel chemotherapy, compared to Herceptin and docetaxel chemotherapy alone in the Phase III CLEOPATRA study. These data will be submitted for presentation at an upcoming medical meeting.

"We are pleased that Perjeta helped people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer live longer and lengthened the time they lived without their disease worsening," said Hal Barron, M.D., chief medical officer and head, Global Product Development. "The improvement in survival seen in the CLEOPATRA study is great news for patients and doctors, and reinforces our belief that Perjeta will improve the outlook for people with this devastating disease."

Perjeta is a personalized medicine that targets the HER2 receptor, a protein found in high quantities on the outside of cancer cells in HER2-positive cancers. Perjeta is believed to work in a way that is complementary to Herceptin, as the two medicines target different places on the HER2 receptor.

The FDA recently approved Perjeta in combination with Herceptin and docetaxel chemotherapy for the treatment of people with HER2-positive mBC who have not received prior anti-HER2 therapy or chemotherapy for metastatic disease, based on the results of the CLEOPATRA study. Roche has also submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Perjeta for people with previously untreated HER2-positive mBC.

Source: Genentech