The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published draft guidance today (18 December) on the use of bevacizumab ( Avastin , Roche) as a treatment for women with advanced ovarian cancer. The draft guidance does not recommend the use of bevacizumab when used with paclitaxel and carboplatin for people with advanced disease, as a cost-effective treatment for the NHS. This draft guidance has now been issued for consultation: NICE has not yet published final guidance to the NHS. The Institute is aware that UK clinical practice is to prescribe bevacizumab at a d...

Celgene International Sàrl, a subsidiary of Celgene Corporation today announced that its phase III study of Abraxane (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) (albumin-bound) in combination with gemcitabine in treatment-naïve patients with advanced pancreatic cancer met its primary endpoint of overall survival.

Pfizer Inc. announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved BOSULIF (bosutinib), an Abl and Src kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of adult patients with chronic, accelerated, or blast phase Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) with resistance, or intolerance to prior therapy.

Pfizer announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending that crizotinib be granted conditional marketing authorization in the European Union (EU).

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the PROFILE 1007 study demonstrated that XALKORI ( crizotinib ) significantly improved progression-free survival ( PFS ) when compared with pemetrexed or docetaxel , in previously treated patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase ( ALK )-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ).

Pfizer Inc announced today that the Phase 3 INTORSECT ( B1771003 ) study, evaluating TORISEL ( temsirolimus ) in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma ( RCC ) whose disease had progressed on or after SUTENT ( sunitinib malate ) therapy, did not meet the primary endpoint of prolonging progression free survival ( PFS ) when compared to sorafenib .

Abbott announced it has acquired an exclusive license for several novel biomarkers from Stanford University for use in developing a molecular diagnostic test that could satisfy a longstanding unmet medical need: differentiating aggressive from nonaggressive prostate cancer.

Roche today announced that the European Commission has approved Zelboraf ( vemurafenib ) as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer.

Roche announced that Erivedge ( vismodegib ) capsule was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adults with a type of skin cancer, called basal cell carcinoma (BCC), that has spread to other parts of the body or that has come back after surgery or that their healthcare provider decides cannot be treated with surgery or radiation.

Results from the Phase III CORRECT study will be presented as a late breaking abstract in an oral abstract session on January 21 at the 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology ( ASCO-GI ).