Sanofi, Regeneron Cancer Drug Posts Optimistic Results

Drugmakers Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE:SNY) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:REGN) said Monday that their investigational cancer drug Zaltrap led to longer survival of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer compared to an older treatment.

The companies, which tested 1,226 patients with colorectal cancer that had been previously treated with oxaliplatin or bevacizumab, said Zaltrap significantly improved both overall survival and progression-free survival.

We are excited by these results and are committed to bringing this novel therapy to patients as soon as possible, Dr. Debasish Roychowdhury, senior vice president and of Sanofi Oncology said in a statement.

The pharmaceutical giants plan on submitting regulatory applications for marketing approval of Zaltrap to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency in the second half of this year.

The latest development is part of a collaboration between Sanofi Oncology and Regeneron in combining Zaltrap with common chemotherapy regimens to treat patients with advanced cancers.