Avastin approved for lung cancer

Avastin will be used to specifically target non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung cancer. The approval is based on a phase III study that showed Avastin in combination with chemotherapy resulted in a 25% improvement in overall survival compared to chemotherapy alone.

“Bevacizumab, in combination with chemotherapy, is the first therapy in 10 years to improve on standard first-line treatment for advanced lung cancer and the first FDA-approved therapy ever to extend survival for these patients beyond one year,” said Alan Sandler, director of Medical Thoracic Oncology at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

Genentech also said that it plans to initiate a first-of-its-kind program to cap the overall expense of Avastin to $55,000 per year per eligible patient for any FDA-approved indication.

The price of Avastin was established in February 2004 upon the FDA approval of the drug for the treatment of first-line colorectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy. At that time, the monthly price of Avastin was set below the standard of care chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer at approximately $4,400.

In advanced lung cancer, a higher dose of Avastin is indicated which means the monthly price of Avastin has to be increased.

“The new expenditure cap on Avastin is a step Genentech is taking to address this variability in current and future FDA-approved indications,” said Arthur Levinson, Genentech’s chairman and CEO.