Roche's pertuzumab meets breast cancer endpoint

Roche (SIX:ROG; OTCQX:RHHBY) said neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgery with pertuzumab plus Herceptin trastuzumab and Taxotere docetaxel met the primary endpoint vs. Herceptin plus Taxotere in the Phase II NEOSPHERE trial to treat early stage, HER2-positive breast cancer. The triple combination therapy significantly improved pathological complete response rate compared to Herceptin plus Taxotere (45.8% vs. 29%, p=0.014). The triple combination therapy also significantly improved pCR rates compared to pertuzumab plus Herceptin and compared to pertuzumab plus Taxotere. The international trial enrolled 417 women with newly diagnosed HER2-positive early, inflammatory or locally advanced breast cancer not previously treated with Herceptin. Data were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Pertuzumab is a mAb HER dimerization inhibitor that prevents HER2 from binding to other HER receptors. ...