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Recently, sciencist, Merck KGaA’s announced that Erbitux when added to standard first-line platinum-based chemotherapy for overall survival progression free survival and overall response rate.

“The meta-analysis showed the benefit for Erbitux for all investigated endpoints across a broad patient population in the first-line NSCLC setting,” said Professor Nick Thatcher, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester, UK. “The survival benefit, seen irrespective of which standard chemotherapy regimen was used, shows Erbitux may have an important role in the treatment of NSCLC.”"This meta-analysis shows significant results across all efficacy endpoints, including response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival, in trials that include all histological types of NSCLC for Erbitux in combination with standard platinum doublets adding further evidence to the already published results of the FLEXa study,” said Dr. Wolfgang Wein, Executive Vice President Oncology of the division Merck Serono.

About Erbitux

Erbitux is the trade name for the generic chemotherapy drug cetuximab. Erbitux is a targeted therapy classified as a monoclonal antibody and signal transduction inhibitor by binding to epidermal growth factor receptors (egfr). Erbitux is used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer that over-expresses the epidermal growth factor receptor and has been approved for use in combination with the drug irinotecan.

Erbitux is a form of lung cancer treatment that interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body. Erbitux is used to treat cancers of the colon and rectum. It is also used to treat head and neck cancer. It may be used alone or along with radiation lung cancer treatment or other medicines. Erbitux may also be used for other purposes not listed here

Erbitux is already recommended for the lung cancer treatment of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer by US clnical practice guidelines issued by the independent national comprehensive cancer network. A recent publication in one of the leading medical journals in Europe (the lancet) concludes that erbitux “added to platinum-based chemotherapy can be regarded as a new standard first-line lung cancer treatment option for patients with EGRF-expressing advanced non-small cell lung cancer”. In the randomized, multinational phase iii Flexa study, the overall survival was significantly prolonged for patients receiving erbitux in first-line therapy. The flex study included a patient population (1,125 patients) comprising all histological NSLC subtypes, who received either standard platinum-based chemotherapy plus erbitux or chemotherapy alone. Adding erbitux to chemotherapy significantly prolonged median overall survival regardless of histology compared to chemotherapy alone (11. 1 months, respectively; p=0. Across the study population, the addition of erbitux to platinum-based chemotherapy was tolerated with manageable side effects.

Some people receiving a Erbitux injection have had a reaction to the infusion. A possibly severe, debilitating, acne-like rash occurs in more than 30% of patients.