Health Canada has expanded approval for the use of Stivarga to fight Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours (GIST), according to an article from CNW. Bayer announced that Stivarga will now be available for treatment of adult patients with metastatic and/or unresectable gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) who have had disease progression on or intolerance to imatinib mesylate and sunitinib malate treatment.
The decision was made after data from a “Phase III GRID (GIST – Regorafenib In Progressive Disease) trial, which showed that Stivarga plus best supportive care (BSC) had a statistically significant advantage in progression-free survival (PFS) compared to placebo plus BSC.”
“Health Canada’s recent decision to issue “Notice of Compliance” approval for the use of Stivarga in GIST is very welcome. Adding this new drug as “third-line” medical therapy for GIST provides an important additional option for patients, in cases where progression has occurred despite treatment with the first- and second-line drugs. Before access to Stivarga can be assured for all patients, however, we need to wait for the funding decisions to be made by the various provincial and territorial public drug plans. The LRGC will be carefully monitoring these processes and working to inform the committees involved about the vital importance of providing Canadian GIST patients with access to every effective treatment option.”
There are 500 new GIST patients estimated in Canada every year, so this expansion is like a gust of wind in the sails of the patients!
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