Erbitux Reduces Colorectal Liver Metastases in Study

Data published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology has suggested that patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer refractory to systemic chemotherapy can achieve substantial regression of their liver metastases with Imclone Systems’ Erbitux, thereby increasing the potential for these patients to become candidates for complete surgical resection of their metastatic disease.

Other data from randomized Phase II and III studies involving Erbitux have demonstrated consistently high response rates and an up to three-fold higher rate of liver metastases resection when combined with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy regimens alone. These studies have also found that treatment with Erbitux does not lead to an increased risk of surgical or post-operative complications such as bleeding or wound healing.

Eric Rowinsky, senior vice president and chief medical officer of ImClone Systems, said: “We are encouraged by the data from this retrospective study that demonstrate that meaningful shrinkage of metastatic disease was achieved in chemotherapy-refractory colorectal cancer patients, since complete resection of metastases offers such patients their only chance for long-term survival.”

Mr Rowinsky added: “These intriguing results in heavily pretreated patients support similar findings observed in other Phase II and III trials of Erbitux combined with irinotecan- or oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy in patients who have not received prior chemotherapy for their metastatic disease. Further prospective evaluations in both North America and Europe are ongoing or planned to evaluate the optimal means to combine Erbitux and chemotherapy to maximize the potential for complete surgical resection of colorectal liver metastases.”