12.09.2008 – 09:08

Roche Pharmaceuticals

Avastin(R) Continues to Demonstrate Long Term Survival for Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Basel, Switzerland (ots/PRNewswire)

- Avastin Shows Unprecedented Patient Benefits Regardless of
K-Ras  Status, Age and Chemotherapy Choice

Avastin's (bevacizumab) essential role in the treatment of
patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), the world's second
most common cancer, was strengthened at the 33rd European Society of
Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting with a compelling data set including:

- the final overall survival analysis of a 2,000 patient community-based
      study
    - further analyses of the Avastin and cetuximab combination study
      highlighting K-Ras findings
    - strong and consistent outcome for elderly patients on
      Avastin-based therapy

Long-term overall survival reported from First BEAT (1)

The long term benefits of Avastin use in combination with
chemotherapy were confirmed in the 1,965 patient First BEAT study,
which combined Avastin with commonly used chemotherapies in mCRC.
First BEAT data confirmed:

- Avastin-based therapy delivers a median overall survival benefit of
      approximately two years (22.7 months).
    - Patients who received Avastin plus chemotherapy and underwent complete
      resection (surgical removal) of their tumor had double the chance of
      surviving at 2 years compared to those who did not (89% versus 44%,
      respectively).
    - Importantly, long-term Avastin treatment did not increase the risk of
      patients suffering from Avastin-specific side effects, which were
      consistent with those reported in other clinical trials.

K-Ras findings from Avastin and cetuximab combination study to be
presented (2)

On September 14, key K-Ras findings will be presented at ESMO on
Avastin-based treatment plus or minus cetuximab from the CAIRO-2
study.  These findings are expected to complement the recently
reported data  confirming that Avastin is the only biologic that
significantly improves  survival in patients with mCRC regardless of
the patient's K-Ras gene  mutation status.

- Specifically, the data showed that patients with the normal
      (wildtype) K-Ras gene had an 82% increase in the time they lived
      without their disease getting worse and a 57% improvement in overall
      survival when given Avastin and chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy
      alone.
    - Similarly, Avastin-based therapy improved outcomes in patients
      with mutated K-Ras compared to chemotherapy alone by increasing the
      time patients live without their disease getting worse by 69% and
      extending life by 46%.

Avastin's survival benefit in mCRC is unmatched in patients with
either normal or mutated K-Ras. Up to 50% of patients will have a
mutated form of K-Ras, where many other treatments have been shown to
provide no benefit.

Age does not matter; Avastin works in all patients (3)

A new analysis of 4 key trials which included more than 3,000
patients showed that the benefits of Avastin-based therapy are
independent of age. Considering that the majority of colorectal
cancer patients are over  65 years in age, the magnitude of this
finding becomes clear. The analysis demonstrated:

- Patients on Avastin-based therapy that were under 65 years
      old had a 70% increased chance of being alive without their disease
      advancing compared to those on chemotherapy alone. If the patient was
      65 or older this chance increased slightly to 72%.
    - Furthermore, these findings were not impacted by the physician's
      choice of chemotherapy to use with Avastin.

In January 2008, Avastin received a broad label in the EU
allowing it to be used in combination with fluoropyrimidine-based
chemotherapy for first and later treatment lines in patients with
mCRC. This means that virtually all patients with metastatic
colorectal cancer have access to Avastin's benefits.

    Presentation of key data - further details:
    1. E. Van Custem et  Safety and efficacy of            September 14
       al                bevacizumab plus standard
                         first-line chemotherapy in        12.30 - 13.30
                         patients with mCRC: First BEAT        (CET)
                                                           Poster area A
    2. J.Tol et al       Randomized phase III study of     September 14
                         capecitabine, oxaliplatin and
                         bevacizumab with or without       12.30 - 13.30
                         cetuximab in advanced CRC, the        (CET)
                         CAIRO-2 study of Dutch CRC group  Poster area A
    3. J. Cassidy et al  Effect of bevacizumab in          September 14
                         patientsover 65 years of age
                         with mCRC                         12.30 - 13.30
                                                               (CET)
                                                           Poster area A

Additional information

http://www.avastin-info.com

http://www.Roche.com

http://www.thenewsmarket.com (video clips about Avastin in
broadcast standard, free of charge)

For more information please contact:
    Roche,
    Erica Bersin,
    +41-79-618-7672,
     erica.bersin@Roche.com;
    Galliard Healthcare,
    Dominic Elliston,
    +44-20-7663-2266,
     delliston@galliardhealth.com

Contact:

For more information please contact: Roche, Erica Bersin,
+41-79-618-7672, erica.bersin@Roche.com; Galliard Healthcare, Dominic
Elliston, +44-20-7663-2266, delliston@galliardhealth.com