After colorectal and breast cancer, lung cancer is the third type of disease in which Avastin has demonstrated an ability to extend patient's lives, Roche said.
Analysts expect the drug to eventually generate sales of up to CHF8 billion, should it gain regulatory approval for use in all these cancers, which are among the most widely-spread forms of the disease.
In Europe, Avastin was approved early in 2005, a year later than in the U.S., for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy. Avastin would also be used in combination with chemotherapy as lung cancer treatment.
Roche, based in Basel, Switzerland, has also recently filed Avastin for the treatment of women with advanced breast cancer in the E.U. and the U.S.
Avastin ranked fifth by sales among Roche's medicines and is one of its fastest growing products. In 2005, Avastin contributed sales of CHF1.67 billion to the CHF27.27 billion in total sales of prescription drugs.
Roche sells Avastin in Europe. Genentech Inc. (DNA), of which Roche owns a majority and which developed the drug, sells it in the U.S.
Roche closed at CHF215.90 on Monday.
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