Researchers test drug for metastatic breast cancer that inhibits new blood vessel growth

Tuesday, August 28, 2001

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Aug. 28, 2001 — Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., are participating in a Phase III, metastatic breast cancer study of a novel drug shown to inhibit growth of new blood vessels. In previous clinical trials, rhuMAb VEGF (Bevacizumab) demonstrated anti-tumor activity when administered alone and in combination with other drugs.

Researchers know that solid tumors grow in part because new blood vessels form to supply them with blood, a process called angiogenesis. They have identified several factors involved in angiogenesis. One of them is vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF. RhuMAb VEGF inhibits the normal action of VEGF.

Oncologist Dr. Edith Perez is the principal investigator for the study at Mayo Clinic. "The drug rhuMAb VEGF is promising," she says, "because it is one of the first targeted anti-angiogenic agents to become available for patient treatment."

Researchers expect to enroll about 400 women in the study who meet certain eligibility requirements. Among other things, women must be 18 years old or older. They must have metastatic breast cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body). And they must have already had one or two regimens of conventional chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Once enrolled in this Genentech, Inc.-sponsored study, women will be randomly assigned to one of the study's two arms. One group of women will receive Bevacizumab in combination with capecitabine. Capecitabine is a drug recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating patients with metastatic breast cancer who are resistant to certain other drugs used in chemotherapy regimens. The other group of women will receive capecitabine only. The study will last for up to 105 weeks (35 cycles of drug administration).

Each year more than 40,000 women in America die of metastatic breast cancer. Since the disease is generally not curable with current therapy, this study and others like it are important because they can lead to therapies that improve survival or prolong the time women remain disease free.

Women interested in participating in the study should call 904-953-2865.

Media contact: Erik Kaldor 904-953-2299 kaldor.erik@mayo.edu

###

To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.