Boehringer Ingelheim
Ingelheim, Germany, 17 September 2010
Boehringer Ingelheim’s first pivotal phase III trial in metastatic HER2 positive breast cancer evaluates its leading investigational compound afatinib* (BIBW 2992, planned brand name TomtovokTM#) beyond lung cancer.
Boehringer Ingelheim today announced the initiation of a phase III clinical trial to investigate one of its most advanced oncology pipeline compounds, afatinib, for the treatment of patients with advanced (metastatic) breast cancer. Afatinib is an oral compound (taken as a tablet), which is a next generation, targeted therapy, that irreversibly inhibits both, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/HER1) and the human epidermal receptor HER2, which are involved in tumour growth and spread.1
*Afatinib is an investigational compound, its safety and efficacy has not yet been fully established.
# not approved by FDA
1. Li D et al. (2008) ‘BIBW2992, an irreversible EGFR/HER2 inhibitor highly effective in preclinical lung cancer models’, Oncogene, vol. 27, pp. 4702-4711.
Source for healthcare professionals: www.inoncology.com
* BIBF 1120, BIBW 2992 and BI 6727 are investigational compounds. Their safety and efficacy have not yet been fully established.