Side Effects of Sunitinib in Kidney Cancer are 2 to 3 Times More Expensive to Manage Than Those of Avastin Plus Interferon

Basel, Switzerland (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Tolerability is an Increasingly Important Factor When Selecting
Treatment Options for Patients

- ABSTRACT No: 5110 (Poster 6H)

Data presented at the largest oncology meeting in the world, the
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), shows that the costs of
managing side effects in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer
(mRCC) treated with sunitinib (Sutent(R)) are two to three times
greater than if they were treated with the combination of Avastin and
interferon (IFN), a combination which provides comparable patient
efficacy to sunitinib.

Avastin + IFN has already been shown to significantly prolong the
time patients with mRCC live without their disease getting worse
(progression-free survival; PFS). The Avastin-based therapy patient
benefit is comparable in terms of PFS to sunitinib, but the treatment
regimens have very different side effect profiles. The study
conducted in Germany, France and the UK suggests that the increased
cost of managing the side effects seen with sunitinib is mainly due
to the higher incidence of low blood cell counts, diarrhea and
nausea/vomiting seen with sunitinib.

"Side effects are a very important consideration for both doctors
and patients when making treatment decisions particularly with new
treatments providing longer periods of time without advancement of
disease," said Professor Gerald Mickisch, from the Center of
Operative Urology, Academic Hospital Bremen in Germany, and author of
the study. "Given the cost of managing side effects, tolerability is
also an important consideration for healthcare payers."

Earlier results from the Avastin in Renal (AVOREN) study also
showed that reducing the dose of IFN did not appear to affect the
efficacy of the Avastin and IFN combination which may lead to lower
cumulative toxicity than other available treatments for patients with
advanced RCC. In contrast, data presented at ASCO 2007 suggest that
the dose of sunitinib needs to be maintained long-term in order to
maintain efficacy.

Further data from patient sub-group analysis of AVOREN are also
being presented at ASCO this year which will show that Avastin is
effective at improving the time patients live without their disease
advancing across a wide range of patient types.

Avastin was approved in Europe in December 2007 for use in
combination with IFN in the first-line treatment of patients with
advanced renal cell cancer.

About the AVOREN Study

The AVOREN study is a randomised, controlled, double-blind, phase
III study that included 649 patients with advanced kidney cancer from
101 study sites across 18 countries. Study participants received
treatment with either Avastin and IFN alpha-2a or placebo and IFN
alpha-2a, the standard of care in patients with advanced kidney
cancer.

The results of the AVOREN trial showed that by adding Avastin to
IFN:

- Progression free survival (PFS) was almost doubled from a
median of 5.4 to 10.2 months

- Tumour response was significantly increased from 12.8% with IFN
alone to 31.4% when Avastin was added

- Dose-reduction of IFN did not appear to affect the efficacy of
the combination with Avastin (based on PFS event free rates over
time, as shown by a sub-group analysis)

The study also showed a trend towards improved overall survival;
however, full survival data are expected during the second half of
2008. No new or unexpected adverse events were observed.

Additional information

- Roche in Oncology:
http://www.roche.com/pages/downloads/company/pdf/mboncology05e_b.pdf

- Roche Health Kiosk, Cancer:
http://www.health-kiosk.ch/start_krebs

- Avastin: http://www.avastin-info.com

To access video clips about Avastin in broadcast standard, free
of charge, please go to: http://www.thenewsmarket.com.

ots Originaltext: Roche Pharmaceuticals
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For more information please contact: Erica Bersin, Roche,
+41-79-618-7672 (mobile); Jon Harris, Galliard Healthcare,
+44-20-7663-2261 (direct line)