Bayer cancer drug candidate regorafenib improves survival in GIST

German drug major Bayer (BAY: DE) yesterday announced positive results from its Phase III trial GRID (GIST - Regorafenib In Progressive Disease) evaluating its investigational compound regorafenib (BAY 73-4506) for the treatment of patients with metastatic and/or unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) whose disease has progressed despite prior treatment with imatinib and sunitinib.

Bayer’s shares gained 1.4% to 54.60 euros by midday trading yesterday as a result of the positive news.

The trial met its primary endpoint of statistically significantly improving progression-free survival. In this trial, the safety and tolerability of regorafenib were generally as expected. Detailed data from the study are expected to be presented at an upcoming scientific meeting. The GRID study was sponsored by Bayer with academic leadership from the principal investigator George Demetri, of the Ludwig Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. The study started in January 2011 and completed enrollment by July 2011.