Switzerland-based Roche's new blood cancer drug Gazyva proved ineffective at treating large B-cell lymphoma in a recent phase 3 clinical trial, according to Reuters.
The late stage trial involving 1,418 patients failed to show that taking Gazyva in conjunction with chemotherapy was more effective at reducing disease progression or death than taking Rituxan — the current first line treatment for the disease — with the same chemotherapy regimen.
In two previous clinical studies, patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma and chronic lymphatic leukemia lived longer without the disease progressing when taking Gazyva compared to Rituxan.
Roche hoped to see similar results with its most recent clinical trial.
Gazyva is currently approved to treat patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
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