The Phase III study, known as the “RAISE trial,” was initiated in 2010 and enrolled more than 1,000 patients in 26 countries, according to the release. Its goal — which is referred to as the “primary endpoint” — was overall survival. Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival, overall safety and overall response rate.
Ramucirumab, marketed as Cyramza, “is the first Phase III trial to show improved overall survival and progression-free survival with a biologic agent in advanced gastric cancer after prior chemotherapy,” according to an Eli Lilly release from April.
Ramucirumab has been tested hand-in-hand with chemotherapy and in double-blind, randomized studies on people with a variety of cancers.
“We now have four Phase III ramucirumab trials that improved survival in three of the world’s most common and deadly cancers — gastric, lung and colorectal — supporting global regulatory submissions in multiple indications,” said Richard Gaynor, M.D., senior vice president, product development and medical affairs for Lilly Oncology, in the release.
The drug has been approved for use as a single agent drug in the United States for people with advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma.
This trial was focused on patients suffering from metastatic colorectal ?cancer.
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and the fourth-leading cause worldwide, according to the ?release.
“Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer...continue to need new treatment options that improve survival,” Gaynor said in the Inside INdiana release.
Eli Lilly plans to present information gathered from all of its ramucirumab studies at a conference in 2015, according to the release.
“We are pleased that the RAISE study demonstrated a survival benefit and are hopeful that ramucirumab will become a new anti-angiogenic treatment option ... for metastatic colorectal cancer patients,” Gaynor said.
Anicka Slachta
