Roche suspends trial recruitment after deaths

Roche (ROG: SIX) has temporarily suspended recruitment for its Phase II MODUL trial following the deaths of four patients enrolled on the study.

The study is testing the efficacy of combining the anticancer agents Tecentriq (atezolizumab) and Cotellic (cobimetinib). Of the deaths, one died of cardiogenic shock related to treatment, while a further two patients died as a result of disease progression. The fourth patient's cause of death has not been disclosed, but it is not believed to be related to the study treatment.

Roche has been keen to emphasise that this setback has had little impact on its wider pipeline, saying in a statement to The Pharma Letter: "This decision has no impact on other trials involving Tecentriq and Cotellic."