Thought Leaders are Optimistic that Emerging Therapies will Offer Efficacy Benefits Over Current Therapies for Metastatic Gastric Cancer; Augmenting Biomarker-Driven Prescribing

BURLINGTON, Mass., April 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources Group finds that interviewed oncologists are optimistic that emerging targeted therapies will offer efficacy advantages over current treatment options for metastatic gastric cancer. Physicians anticipate that Roche/Genentech/Chugai's Perjeta and Roche/Genentech/Chugai's Kadcyla will join Roche/Genentech/Chugai's Herceptin in the HER2-targeted treatment armamentarium for metastatic gastric cancer. Moreover, oncologists express enthusiasm for c-Met overexpression as a predictive biomarker in metastatic gastric cancer, and anticipate that rilotumumab (Amgen/Astellas Pharma) and onartuzumab (Roche/Genentech/Chugai), both in combination with chemotherapy, will demonstrate efficacy advantages over chemotherapy alone. Interviewed physicians also expressed enthusiasm for the angiogenesis inhibitor ramucirumab (Eli Lilly/ImClone Systems), based on positive Phase III data from the REGARD and RAINBOW trials.

Other key findings from the DecisionBase 2014 report entitled Metastatic Gastric Cancer: Treatment Choices are Limited, but Oncologists' Receptivity to Targeted Agents Presents a Lucrative Opportunity:

• Clinical trial end points: The effect of an emerging therapy on key efficacy endpoints, including progression-free survival and overall survival, has the most influence over surveyed U.S. and European oncologists' prescribing decisions for metastatic gastric cancer.
• Molecular testing: Interviewed oncologists perceive that differences exist in the immunopositivity rates associated with the respective companion diagnostics for the c-Met-targeting agents.
• Perjeta: Surveyed U.S. oncologists indicate that they would prescribe Perjeta (in combination with Herceptin and chemotherapy) to 30 percent of their first-line metastatic HER2-positive gastric cancer patients.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Analyst Samuel Mentzer, M.Sc.:

• "Despite the improvements effected by Herceptin in combination with chemotherapy on patient overall survival times in HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer, our survey results suggest surveyed physicians and surveyed U.S managed care organization pharmacy directors have high expectations of the requirements of emerging therapies to further extend overall survival."
• "Physicians are optimistic that efficacy-related unmet needs, such as improved overall survival, may partially be met by agents that are being positioned to treat specific molecularly-defined patient subpopulations."

About Decision Resources Group
Decision Resources Group offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on critical issues within the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Find out more at www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

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For more information, contact:

Decision Resources Group
Christopher Comfort
781-993-2597
[email protected]

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SOURCE Decision Resources Group

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