Pfizer Cancer Drug Sutent Fails Test for Advanced Colon Cancer

A late-stage clinical trial of the Pfizer Inc. cancer drug Sutent has been halted early after researchers determined the drug was no better at fighting advanced colon cancer than standard chemotherapy.

Just last month, Pfizer was praising Sutent’s performance in a study of the drug’s effectiveness in slowing a rare but potentially life-threatening form of pancreatic cancer. According to those findings, Sutent more than doubled the amount of time cancer patients lived progression-free. The clinical trial was stopped early because Sutent was doing so well.

However, when it comes to advanced forms of colon cancer, the drug – known generically as sunitinib – did not fare as well.

No Better Than Chemo Alone

Researchers determined that adding Sutent to standard chemotherapy treatments for colon cancer which has spread did not significantly improve the progression-free survival of participants compared to chemotherapy alone.

Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, said no new safety issues were discovered in the study of Sutent for advanced colon cancer.

“We are disappointed with this result, but trial successes and failures are an integral part of cancer drug development and contribute to a growing body of knowledge on improving patient care,” Mace Rothenberg, head of clinical development and medical affairs for Pfizer’s oncology unit, said in a statement, according to a Reuters news report.

Still Exploring New Uses

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Sutent to treat advanced kidney cancer and gastrointestinal stromal tumor, which is a form of cancer that targets the digestive system. Sutent remains approved for those uses, despite the disappointing new showing on treating advanced colon cancer.

Pfizer has vowed to continue exploring new uses of Sutent and doing research to determine new types of cancers the drug may be effective at treating.

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