Cobimetinib/Zelboraf combo meets in metastatic melanoma

Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) said once-daily oral cobimetinib ( RG7421) plus the pharma's Zelboraf vemurafenib met the primary endpoint of improving progression-free survival (PFS) vs. Zelboraf alone in the 495-patient Phase III coBRIM trial to treat previously untreated unresectable locally advanced or metastatic melanoma in patients with BRAF V600 mutations. Roche's Genentech Inc. unit plans to submit an NDA to FDA and an MAA to EMA for the combination before year end. Genentech has worldwide rights to cobimetinib, a MEK inhibitor, from Exelixis Inc. (NASDAQ:EXEL), which was up $0.77 (23%) to $4.09 on Monday. ...