Avastin, in combination with chemotherapy, was expected to extend the lifespan of patients with cancer, including advanced colorectal tumors, by many years but is failing to live up to that expectation, according to a Bloomberg Businessweek news report.
The drug, developed by Roche, was designed with a mechanism for "turning off a cancer cell's access to blood," according to the report. Two studies showed Avastin was only able to keep cancer away for 0.9 months and 1.2 months, respectively, with neither trial showing the drug's ability to prolong cancer patients' lifespan. Further, the FDA said patients who simultaneously took the drug and underwent chemotherapy had more side effects than patients who took the drug alone. Two other studies suggested an increased mortality rate among patients who took Avastin, according to the report.
Although the drug has racked up huge sales for the pharmaceutical giant — approximately $6.88 billion last year alone — physicians are beginning to question its effectiveness. Additionally, health insurers are finding it harder to justify its annual cost of approximately $100,000, according to the report.
Read the news report about Avastin.
Read other coverage about pharmaceuticals:
- Shortage of 150 Drugs Forces Healthcare Facilities to Consider Older Alternatives
- Cumberland Pharmaceuticals to Recall Six Lots of Acetadote
- Actavis to Pay $170M for Reporting False Prices to Medicaid
The drug, developed by Roche, was designed with a mechanism for "turning off a cancer cell's access to blood," according to the report. Two studies showed Avastin was only able to keep cancer away for 0.9 months and 1.2 months, respectively, with neither trial showing the drug's ability to prolong cancer patients' lifespan. Further, the FDA said patients who simultaneously took the drug and underwent chemotherapy had more side effects than patients who took the drug alone. Two other studies suggested an increased mortality rate among patients who took Avastin, according to the report.
Although the drug has racked up huge sales for the pharmaceutical giant — approximately $6.88 billion last year alone — physicians are beginning to question its effectiveness. Additionally, health insurers are finding it harder to justify its annual cost of approximately $100,000, according to the report.
Read the news report about Avastin.
Read other coverage about pharmaceuticals:
- Shortage of 150 Drugs Forces Healthcare Facilities to Consider Older Alternatives
- Cumberland Pharmaceuticals to Recall Six Lots of Acetadote
- Actavis to Pay $170M for Reporting False Prices to Medicaid