Promising Cancer Drug Fails to Slow Breast Cancer

A Phase 3 trial of cancer drug Nexavar in patients with advanced breast cancer failed to delay progression of the disease, according to the drug’s makers, Bayer and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an Amgen subsidiary.

The study, called Reslience, evaluated Nexavar in combination with capecitabine, an oral chemotherapeutic agent, in patients with HER2-negative breast cancer.

The drug is approved to treat certain types of liver, kidney and thyroid cancer and works by targeting signalling pathways that tumor cells use to survive. Researchers hoped that Nexavar would have the same tumor-stalling effect on breast growths.

“We are disappointed that the trial did not show an improvement in progression-free survival in patients with advanced breast cancer,” Dr. Joerg Moeller, Member of the Bayer HealthCare Executive Committee and Head of Global Development, said in a statement. “While the primary endpoint of this trial was not met, the trial results do not affect the currently approved indications for Nexavar. We would like to thank the patients and the study investigators for their contributions and participation in this study.”

Data from the study will be presented at an upcoming scientific conference.