Los Angeles Times (CA) (01/17/12) Roan, Shari
Data from a trial of Bayer HealthCare's regorafenib suggests that the drug could extend the life span of patients with advanced colorectal cancer, while slowing tumor growth. The data is from a phase-three study of 760 adults who were not taking other cancer medications. Bayer has already indicated its intent to try to gain the FDA's approval of the medicine in 2012, which would make it the first new treatment for this form of cancer in over five years. The lead investigator will be presenting the findings of the trial at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in San Francisco. The findings did show a wide variability, from dramatic response to no displayed benefits, though on average patients receiving the drug survived for longer than those on the placebo. Regorafenib is a angiogenesis inhibitor that blocks the process tumors use to grow.

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