Mesothelioma Trial for Nintedanib Shows Positive Results

Researchers have reported more promising results from an international, multicenter phase II clinical trial of the drug nintedanib, moving it another step closer to standard-of-care treatment for pleural mesothelioma. Nintedanib is a small-molecule enzyme inhibitor being studied as a way to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy on mesothelioma and certain types of lung cancer. Researchers presented the results earlier this month at the World Conference on Lung Cancer in Vienna, Austria. The randomized clinical trial treated mesothelioma patients with a placebo and chemotherapy (pemetrexed/cisplatin) or nintedanib and chemotherapy. Patients given nintedanib did considerably better with 9.4 months of progression-free survival and 18.3 months of overall survival. The patients treated with the placebo had only 5.7 months of progression-free survival and 14.5 months of overall survival. “We are very encouraged by these recent data,” Professor Giorgio Scagliotti, University of Torino, chairman of the department of oncology and lead investigator, said in a news release. “The results have led to an extension of the study into a phase III confirmatory trial that is now underway and will provide further insight into the potential of nintedanib for patients with mesothelioma.” A New Way of Treating Mesothelioma The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved nintedanib, also known by the brand name Ofev, only for pulmonary fibrosis. The drug effectively softens the lungs and...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: chemotherapy clinical trial chemotherapy for mesothelioma extending mesothelioma survival mesothelioma treatment nintedanib Source Type: news