Votrient and Kidney Cancer
Filed Under (Cancer) by David on 09-12-2009
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Pazopanib (Votrient) is now approved for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer that is highly resistant to chemotherapy. A once-daily oral medication, pazopanib is an angiogenesis inhibitor that may help prevent the growth of new blood vessels, which tumors need to survive. In a phase 3 trial, the drug reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 54% compared with placebo, regardless of any previous treatment. Treated patients gained an average of 9.2 months of progression-free survival, compared with 4.2 months for those not receiving the drug. Patients did not experience a significant decline in health-related quality of life. Adverse reactions were generally mild to moderate. However, 4% of treated patients died, compared with 3% of placebo patients.
This product has not yet been approved outside the U.S.
Sources: FDA, GlaxoSmithKline, October 19, 2009