Financial Markets Research: ASCO Review Part II

Summary

Introduction

ASCO features key presentations in the oncology area, and is generally the most important week of the year for oncology. Presents Datamonitor's comments on the most important events at the 2006 conference.

Highlights

Continuing a disappointing weekend, Nexavar was unable to show a statistically significant survival benefit in second-line metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in an update from the trial that led to its FDA approval. But, we believe that reports that Nexavar has 'failed' to show a survival benefit appear to be misleading.We note that while data presented at ASCO has given Sutent frontrunner status in first-line therapy in RCC, results from trials examining various targeted agents have suggested that these therapies may be used sequentially in metastatic disease.Results of numerous trials in multiple myeloma (MM) with Thalomid, Revlimid, and Velcade proved overwhelmingly positive, with high efficacy and superiority over standard regimens in both front-line and later-line settings. The optimal regimen is being evaluated in ongoing clinical trials, from which we expect data to emerge over the next two years.

Scope

• A summary of highlights presented at ASCO 2006 on Monday June 4, 2006, as well as information on related presentations from earlier in the conference
• Drugs covered include Celgene's Thalomid (thalidomide) & Revlimid (lenalidomide), Genentech's Avastin (bevacizumab), Millennium's Velcade (bortezomib)h3>

Reasons to Purchase

• Identify the most important events that occurred at ASCO 2006h3>
• Understand the impact of key data presentations on the potential future dynamics of the oncology market

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