Greentech cites greater occurrences of gastrointestinal perforations than shown in previous studies of the drug as the reason.
The company suspended enrollment in the Phase II trial after five out of 44 patients given Avastin developed signs of gastrointestinal perforations.
These are the patients with ovarian cancer who have not responded to platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients who have already enrolled in the trial can prefer to continue the treatment or quit the study.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration endorsed the drug last year for advanced colon cancer. However, researchers are still studying Avastin to treat prostate, kidney, and pancreatic cancer.
Hal Barron, Genentech's chief medical officer says, "We are continuing our plans to study Avastin in ovarian cancer based on the activity seen to date and the significant unmet medical need in this patient population, and currently do not expect these results to affect our plans to study Avastin in earlier-stage ovarian cancer or other tumor types."
