Roche medicine Avastin receives EU approval for the treatment of women with newly diagnosed, advanced ovarian cancer

Avastin represents first major treatment advance for women with ovarian cancer in 15 years

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that the European Commission has approved Avastin® (bevacizumab) in combination with standard chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) as a front-line (first-line following surgery) treatment for women with advanced ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the most deadly of the gynaecological cancers, with approximately 220,000 women diagnosed and 140,000 women dying from the disease each year globally.  The approval of Avastin marks a major advance in the treatment of women with ovarian cancer for whom treatment has been limited to surgery and chemotherapy.

“Today’s approval of Avastin marks the first major treatment advance in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer in 15 years,” said Hal Barron M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Head, Global Product Development. “This is the fifth tumor type for which Avastin has been approved in Europe, making it one of few biologic drugs indicated for multiple cancers."