Roche presentations at ASCO on cobimetinib and MPDL3280A

Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX) announced new data at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting on Saturday on its cobimetinib in melanoma, as well as on MPDL3280A in lung cancer.

Updated data from the pivotal coBRIM Phase III study, presented by lead Investigator James Larkin at ASCO demonstrate that Roche’s investigational MEK inhibitor cobimetinib, used in combination with BRAF inhibitor Zelboraf (vemurafenib), typically offers people with previously untreated advanced metastatic melanoma (BRAFV600mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic) one full year (median 12.3 months) without their disease worsening. These results show that experimental combination treatment with the oral, targeted therapies can halt disease progression longer than the current standard treatment with a BRAF inhibitor alone.

Dr Larkin, Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden, said: “The results of the coBRIM study reinforce that our continued attention and focus on this disease is providing the clinical advances we need to improve the quality of life and survival for people with melanoma across the UK. Targeting two parts of this cellular pathway, by adding cobimetinib in combination with vemurafenib, sees patients live on average for over a year without their disease progressing - an important advance in melanoma, a significantly life-limiting cancer.”