AbbVie stops trial for brain cancer treatment

May 20, 2019

AbbVie is halting a study into a new treatment for glioblastoma. 

According to the company, the drug Depatux-M, failed to meet the late-stage goal of showing a survival benefit when compared to a placebo. Depatux-M was being tested for use with standard radiation and temozolomide, a chemotherapy drug. AbbVie will no longer enroll new patients into the study.  

Glioblastoma is considered the deadliest form of brain cancer. When the cancer is aggressive, the median survival rate for patients using radiation and temozolomide is about 14.6 months. Around 13,000 Americans are diagnosed with glioblastoma each year. 

Read the Reuters report.