Medical professionals have labelled the latest results from a clinical study showing breast cancer drug Perjeta greatly extends lives as "extraordinary" and an "unprecedented success."
In the final analysis of the Phase III Cleopatra study, which was presented at the ESMO conference in Madrid last week, patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who received the drug Perjeta lived 15.7 months longer than those in the control group. This was the longest time for a drug used as a treatment for metastatic breast cancer and may even be the longest survival time for the treatment of any advanced cancer, said researchers at the ESMO conference.
Earlier results had shown that the addition of Perjeta (also known as pertuzumab) had increased survival by 6 months in comparison to the placebo, but patients had not been followed long enough to realize the full survival benefits.
Palmerston North based Oncolcogist Dr Richard Isaacs described the results as extraordinary and said this was a definitive trial which had proved its point very emphatically.
However, Perjeta is currently not funded through the public health system and its cost (approx. $70,000 per year of treatment) continues to be prohibitive for the large majority of New Zealand patients.
An application to fund Perjeta was originally made to PHARMAC in November 2013 based on the earlier results of the CLEOPATRA study. To date, the application has been unsuccessful and the recommendation to fund was given a low priority.
However, with these latest results Dr Isaacs remains hopeful the drug will be funded. "A relatively small number of women present with metastatic breast cancer so this may actually increase the chances."
PHARMAC’s Therapeutic Group Manager Jackie Evans confirmed that the new data would be considered by the committee when making a decision and that it "may change things." She said the reason for giving the recommendation a low priority was driven by the price of the drug. "We all recognize the benefit and value of the drug."
BCAC Chair Libby Burgess described pertuzumab as a breakthrough medicine that makes a real difference to length and quality of life for women with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer. "We’d love to see funding provided in New Zealand because of the positive impact it will have for these women and their families."
NB: On receipt of the latest data Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition sent a letter to PHARMAC requesting that funding of the drug be given a high priority and asking that it be considered at their next committee meeting in early November.
8th October 2014
