SERVIER
16.1.2021 22:17:39 CET | Business Wire | Press release
Servier announced today updated results from the exploratory phase II TASCO1 study evaluating LONSURF® (trifluridine/tipiracil) + bevacizumab and capecitabine + bevacizumab (C-B) in a first-line setting for patients with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who are non-eligible for intensive therapy.1 The data were announced today during an oral presentation at the 2021 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO-GI). Patients with mCRC who are not eligible for chemotherapy face a large unmet need, with fewer treatment options available to them and lower survival rates.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) makes up 9.7% of total global cancer cases, with almost 1.4 million new cases of CRC each year.2 In Europe, CRC is the second most common cause of death due to cancer, and those with a metastatic disease have a 5-year survival rate of just 11%.3
“For patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, those non-eligible for standard combination therapy have few options left and we are continuously searching for new ways to give these patients more hope,” said Professor Eric Van Cutsem, Leuven, Belgium “The data from TASCO1 are very encouraging and provide evidence that trifluridine/tipiracil + bevacizumab is a beneficial treatment combination for these patients.”
In the exploratory phase II TASCO1 study, 153 patients were randomized and followed until September 1, 2020.1 The updated results showed that the median overall survival (OS) was 22.3 months with LONSURF + bevacizumab, whereas it was 17.6 months with C-B. This data translates into an improved median OS of 4.6 months with LONSURF + bevacizumab when compared with C-B (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.55, 1.10). The survival probability at 18 months with LONSURF + bevacizumab was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.50, 0.72) and 0.47 (95% CI, 0.35, 0.57) with C-B.1 It should be noted that this was an exploratory, non-comparative study.
“We are very pleased with the updated results from the phase II TASCO1 study and we are continuing with our research into this promising combination in multiple mCRC settings. These data support all efforts that went into the confirmatory phase III SOLSTICE study. The results are expected in 2021,” said Patrick Therasse, M.D., Ph. D., Head of Servier Late Stage and Life Cycle Management Oncology, “Patients with mCRC who are not eligible for intensive chemotherapy have limited options and further clinical trials for additional treatments are highly anticipated by the clinical and patient communities alike.”
#ENDS#
About TASCO1
TASCO1 is an open-label, randomized, non-comparative Phase II study evaluating LONSURF® + bevacizumab and capecitabine plus bevacizumab in patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer who are non-eligible for intensive therapy. From April 2016 to March 2017, 153 patients were randomized and followed until end-of-study on September 1, 2020. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, and the key secondary endpoint was overall survival.
For more information on TASCO1, please visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02743221 ). The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is NCT02743221.
About SOLSTICE
SOLSTICE is an open-label, randomized, multicentre Phase III trial in 854 unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer patients who are not candidates for, or do not require, intensive therapy. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive first-line LONSURF® + bevacizumab versus capecitabine + bevacizumab. The primary objective is to demonstrate superior progression-free survival with LONSURF® + bevacizumab over capecitabine + bevacizumab. The first patient was enrolled in March 2019. Results are expected in 2021.
For more information on SOLSTICE, please visit www.ClinicalTrials.gov (https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03869892 ). The ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier is NCT03869892.
About Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC)
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide with approximately 1.8 million new diagnoses in 2018. Each year there are over 880,000 deaths, making it the second biggest cancer killer worldwide (after lung cancer).3
For those with metastatic disease (where the cancer has spread from the primary site), the average 5-year survival is approximately 11%.4 Standard chemotherapy regimens for advanced mCRC include fluoropyrimidines, oxaliplatin, irinotecan or targeted treatments, such as those that target vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) or endothelial growth factor receptors (EGFR).
Over the last decade, clinical outcomes for patients with mCRC have improved considerably due to the advent of novel treatment agents, predictive biomarkers, and a more strategic approach to the delivery of systemic therapies. Currently, the median overall survival for patients with mCRC being treated both in phase III trials and in large observational series or registries is 30 months – more than double that of 20 years ago.5,6,7
About LONSURF ®8
LONSURF® consists of a thymidine-based nucleoside analog, trifluridine, and the thymidine phosphorylase (TP) inhibitor, tipiracil, which increases trifluridine exposure by inhibiting its metabolism by TP. Trifluridine is incorporated into DNA, resulting in DNA dysfunction and inhibition of cell proliferation.
In the EU, LONSURF® is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) who have been previously treated with, or are not considered candidates for, available therapies including fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapies, anti- VEGF agents, and anti-EGFR agents. LONSURF® is also indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic gastric cancer (mGC), including adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (mGEJC), who have been previously treated with at least two prior systemic treatment regimens for advanced disease.
As of November 2020, LONSURF® has been approved in 91 countries for the treatment of advanced mCRC and in 56 countries for the treatment of advanced mGC/mGEJC.
LONSURF® was discovered and developed by Taiho Pharmaceutical. In June 2015, Taiho Pharmaceutical and Servier entered into an exclusive license agreement for the co-development and commercialization of LONSURF® in Europe and other countries outside of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Asia.
About Servier
Servier is an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters in France (Suresnes). With a strong international presence in 150 countries and a total revenue of 4.6 billion euros in 2019, Servier employs 22,000 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group invests on average 25% of its total revenue (excluding generics) every year in research and development and uses all its profits for its development. Corporate growth is driven by Servier’s constant commitment in five areas of excellence: cardiovascular, immune-inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and diabetes, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs. Servier also offers eHealth solutions beyond drug development. More information: www.servier.com
Follow us on Social Media:
1 Van Cutsem E, Danielewicz I, Saunders MP, et al. Phase II study evaluating trifluridine/tipiracil + bevacizumab and capecitabine + bevacizumab in first-line unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients who are non-eligible for intensive therapy (TASCO1): results of the final analysis on the overall survival. ASCO GI 2021.
2 Digestive Cancers Europe. Prevalence of Colorectal Cancer. https://digestivecancers.eu/colorectal-cancer/prevalence-of-colorectal-cancer-prevalence/?menu_id=13873 Last accessed December 2020.
3 World Health Organisation. GLOBOCAN. Cancer today. Estimated age-standardized incidence rates (World) in 2018, all cancers, both sexes, all ages. https://gco.iarc.fr/today/online-analysis-map?v=2018&mode=population&mode_population=continents&population=900&populations=900&key=asr&sex=0&cancer=39&type=0&statistic=5&prevalence=0&population_group=0&ages_group%5B%5D=0&ages_group%5B%5D=17&nb_items=10&group_cancer=1&include_nmsc=1&include_nmsc_other=1&projection=natural-earth&color_palette=default&map_scale=quantile&map_nb_colors=5&continent=0&rotate=%255B10%252C0%255D Last accessed May 2020.
4 American Cancer Society. Survival Rates for Colorectal Cancer, by Stage. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html Last accessed December 2020.
5 Brenner H, Kloor M, Pox CP. Colorectal cancer. Lancet (London, England). 2014;383(9927):1490-1502.
6 Price TJ, Segelov E, Burge M, et al. Current opinion on optimal systemic treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer: outcome of the ACTG/AGITG expert meeting ECCO 2013. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther . 2014;14(12):1477-1493.
7 Van Cutsem E, Cervantes A, Adam R, et al. ESMO consensus guidelines for the management of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Ann Oncol . 2016;27(8):1386-1422.
8 European Medicines Agency. LONSURF European Public assessment report. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/LONSURF#authorisation-details-section Last accessed December 2020.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210116005002/en/
Link:
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen3 Achieves First Flight, Advancing Next-Generation Light Jet Toward Certification29.7.2026 18:31:00 CEST | Press release
All three Citation Gen3 light jets are now in flight testing, bringing Garmin Emergency Autoland and customer-inspired enhancements to the next generation of business aviation. Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, recently achieved a key milestone as the Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen3 prototype aircraft completed its first flight, advancing the next-generation light jet toward certification. With this milestone, all three next-generation Citation light jets — the CJ4 Gen3, CJ3 Gen3 and M2 Gen3 — have entered flight testing, demonstrating continued momentum across the Cessna next-generation light jet portfolio. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260729333762/en/ Cessna Citation CJ3 Gen3 achieves first flight, advancing next-generation light jet toward certification. (Photo credit: Textron Aviation) “This achievement continues the forward momentum of the CJ3 Gen3 program and reflects the discipline,
SES Launches Multi-Orbit Satellite Connectivity on LATAM Airbus, Embraer Fleet29.7.2026 17:30:00 CEST | Press release
SES, a leading space solutions company, was selected by LATAM Airlines to provide multi-orbit inflight connectivity service to its growing fleet of Airbus and Embraer aircraft, solidifying SES’s position as the top provider of multi-orbit broadband service in the Americas and around the world. “LATAM’s passengers will soon benefit from reliable, multi-orbit satellite connectivity that will provide the same fast and dependable internet access they enjoy at home no matter where or when they fly. SES’s partnerships with airlines like LATAM highlight how carriers throughout the Americas are leading the way when it comes to the most advanced connectivity. SES is a trusted partner that powers inflight connectivity,” said Mike DeMarco, SES President of Mobility. More than 60 Airbus (A320NEO and A321XLR) and Embraer aircraft (E195-E2) will be equipped with SES services in the coming years. LATAM will be the largest airline in the region to offer service using SES’s new electronically steered a
Carta Rearchitects Private Capital Operations with Plugins for Claude29.7.2026 16:01:00 CEST | Press release
Firms managing billions in assets are cutting days of manual fund and portfolio work down to a single prompt — a shift now available to all Carta customers through Anthropic's official plugin directory. Carta, the connected platform and AI-native ecosystem for private capital, today announces broad availability of its suite of Plugins for Claude following the initial launch in April 2026. With more than 1,500 companies and firms already using the plugins, Carta is changing the way private capital teams — from founders to CFOs — fundamentally operate, bringing fund administration, cap table management, and dealflow analytics directly into the spreadsheets, presentations, and workflows they already use every day. "For the last decade, private capital operation teams have been held back by a hidden tax: the constant, manual handoff of data between disconnected systems," said Henry Ward, Carta CEO. "Carta is eliminating that broken loop entirely by embedding intelligence directly into the
Experian Recognized by Chartis Research for Advancing AI Model Governance in Quantitative Analytics50 202629.7.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
Global data and technology company recognized for helping financial institutions accelerate AI innovation with trusted model governance, transparency and regulatory control Key Highlights Chartis Research recognized Experian as the category winner for Model Risk Management Environment in the Quantitative Analytics50 2026 report. Experian Ascend Platform™ enables organizations to move from model development to governed production with transparency, traceability and policy-driven controls. Recognition validates Experian's approach to helping lenders and financial institutions accelerate AI adoption while strengthening compliance, explainability and model risk governance. Experian today announced it has been recognized by Chartis Research as the winner in the Model Risk Management Environment category in the Quantitative Analytics50 2026 report. The recognition marks Experian's first appearance in the prestigious ranking and reinforces the company's position as a leading provider of data
Grid Dynamics Accelerates Enterprise AI-Native Transformation With Workforce Certification and GAIN Platforms Rollout29.7.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
Key Takeaways: Grid Dynamics plans to have 90% of its engineers trained and certified on Anthropic and OpenAI platforms by the end of October 2026. At one of North America's largest home improvement retailers, Grid Dynamics has scaled its GAIN (Grid Dynamics AI Native) Platform for AI SDLC by expanding its agentic harness technology to more than 500 additional engineers. Grid Dynamics Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GDYN) (“Grid Dynamics”), a leading provider of technology consulting, platform and product engineering, and AI-driven digital transformation services, today announced significant momentum in the adoption of its enterprise agentic AI solutions. Organizations across retail, financial services, manufacturing, CPG, and logistics industries are increasingly deploying Grid Dynamics’ agentic AI-native platforms and Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE)-led services to accelerate software delivery, improve operational efficiency, and transform business processes at scale. Grid Dynamics is wid
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom
