Genentech sees earlier Avastin colon cancer data

The biotechnology giant said late Thursday that data is being collected faster than anticipated, patients have been enrolled rapidly and there are already more patients with Stage III cancer taking part.

The study, involving more than 2,700 patients, is being conducted by the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) and is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

An independent interim assessment of safety and effectiveness in the trial recently took place, with no new adverse safety events reported.

Genentech said an early look at safety results from the study will be among many Avastin abstracts which will be presented during the 44th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) taking place May 30 to June 3 in Chicago.

The company said it also will present encouraging results from a midstage study of Avastin in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), an aggressive type of brain cancer. Data showed 43 percent of GBM patients treated with Avastin alone and 50 percent of patients treated with Avastin in combination with chemotherapy lived without the disease advancing within six months.

Shares rose $1.05 to $69.88 in morning trading.