OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIP) and Genentech, Inc., a wholly
owned member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), announced
today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the
review period for the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for
Tarceva® (erlotinib) as a first-line maintenance therapy in
advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by an additional 90 days.
The extension follows OSI’s submission of further data in support of the
application. The original Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date
was January 18, 2010. The companies now anticipate FDA action on the
sNDA by April 18, 2010.
OSI and Genentech will work closely with the FDA during this extended
review period.
About SATURN
SATURN was an international, placebo-controlled, randomized,
double-blinded, Phase III study that enrolled 889 patients with advanced
NSCLC at approximately 160 sites worldwide. Patients were treated with
four cycles of standard first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and then
randomized to Tarceva or placebo if the cancer did not progress. The
co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) in all
patients and PFS in patients whose tumors over-expressed the epidermal
growth factor receptor (EGFR) as assessed by Immunohistochemistry (IHC).
PFS was defined as the length of time from randomization to disease
progression or death from any cause. Secondary endpoints included
overall survival, safety and an evaluation of exploratory biomarkers.
About Lung Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer is the leading
cause of cancer death in the United States. It is estimated
approximately 159,000 Americans died from the disease in 2009. Most
people are diagnosed with advanced stage disease and only 15 percent
survive five years. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer.
About Tarceva
Tarceva is a once-a-day pill that targets the EGFR pathway. Tarceva is
designed to inhibit the tyrosine kinase activity of the EGFR signaling
pathway inside the cancer cell, one of the critical growth factors in
NSCLC and pancreatic cancer. Tarceva is indicated as a monotherapy for
people with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC whose disease has
progressed after one or more courses of chemotherapy. Tarceva is not
intended to be used at the same time as chemotherapy for NSCLC.
Tarceva is also indicated in combination with gemcitabine chemotherapy
for the first-line treatment of people with locally advanced pancreatic
cancer, pancreatic cancer that cannot be surgically removed or
pancreatic cancer that has spread to distant body organs.
Tarceva Safety
There have been infrequent reports of serious Interstitial Lung Disease
(ILD)-like events including deaths in patients taking Tarceva. Serious
side effects (including deaths) in patients taking Tarceva include liver
and/or kidney problems; gastrointestinal (GI) perforations (the
development of a hole in the stomach, small intestine, or large
intestine); and severe blistering skin reactions including cases similar
to Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Patients taking Tarceva plus gemcitabine
were more likely to experience bleeding and clotting problems such as
heart attack or stroke. Eye irritation and damage to the cornea have
been reported in patients taking Tarceva. Women should avoid becoming
pregnant and avoid breastfeeding while taking Tarceva. Patients should
call their doctor right away if they have these signs or symptoms: new
or worsening skin rash; serious or ongoing diarrhea, nausea, loss of
appetite, vomiting or stomach pain; new or worsening shortness of breath
or cough; fever; eye irritation. Rash and diarrhea were the most common
side effects associated with Tarceva in the NSCLC clinical study.
Fatigue, rash, nausea, loss of appetite and diarrhea were the most
common side effects associated with Tarceva plus gemcitabine therapy in
the pancreatic cancer clinical study.
For full prescribing information, please call 1-877-TARCEVA or visit http://www.tarceva.com.
About OSI Pharmaceuticals
OSI Pharmaceuticals is committed to "shaping medicine and changing
lives” by discovering, developing and commercializing high-quality,
novel and differentiated targeted medicines designed to extend life and
improve the quality of life for patients with cancer and
diabetes/obesity. For additional information about OSI, please visit http://www.osip.com.
About Genentech
Founded more than 30 years ago, Genentech is a leading biotechnology
company that discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes
medicines to treat patients with serious or life-threatening medical
conditions. The company, a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, has
headquarters in South San Francisco, California. For additional
information about the company, please visit http://www.gene.com.
OSI Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements. These
statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that
may cause actual future experience and results to differ materially from
the statements made.
Factors that might cause such a difference
include, among others, OSI's and its collaborators' abilities to
effectively market and sell Tarceva and to expand the approved
indications for Tarceva, OSI’s ability to protect its intellectual
property rights, safety concerns regarding Tarceva,
competition
to Tarceva and OSI’s drug candidates
from other biotechnology and
pharmaceutical companies, the completion of clinical trials, the
effects of FDA and other governmental regulation, including pricing
controls,
OSI's ability to successfully develop and commercialize
drug candidates, and other factors described in OSI Pharmaceuticals'
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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