Ipsen Phase III trial shows benefits of combining tamoxifen and triptorelin in breast cancer survival

French drugmaker Ipsen (Euronext: IPN) has announced results of a trial evaluating the use of ovarian suppression as adjuvant treatment with tamoxifen to reduce breast cancer recurrence at the 2014 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

In the Suppression of Ovarian Function Trial (SOFT), ovarian suppression was obtained entirely by monthly injections of triptorelin, the active ingredient of Ipsen’s Decapeptyl, over five years for 81% of patients.

Treatment that combined tamoxifen and ovarian suppression with triptorelin reduced the relative risk of developing invasive breast cancer recurrence by 22% in women who did not transition into menopause after receiving chemotherapy when compared to tamoxifen treatment alone. The test subjects were on average 40 years old when hormonal therapy began.