
Sanofi-Aventis drug, iniparib, shows very little benefit in clinical trials
Clinical trials of a new Sanofi-Aventis drug, iniparib, showed dismal results at treating and improving survival rates of patients with breast cancer.
The goal of these newest trials was to potentially find an effective treatment method for patients with the difficult to treat, “triple negative” breast cancer.
Analyzing more than 500 patients who had all experienced spread of cancer, the trial used chemotherapy as a primary treatment method, and added iniparib to some patients’ medication. Researchers then analyzed the effects of the drug and how it improved survival rates, if any.
No drastic differences were noticed between the basic chemotherapy treatment, containing Gemzar and carboplatin, and the treatment including those drugs with the addition of iniparib.
Sanofi-Aventis added that some patients, specifically those who had received treatment prior to this trial, noticed benefits from iniparib.
The “triple negative” form of breast cancer is difficult to treat as hormone therapy is not as effective as it is on other types of cancers.