Drug companies are always holding clinical trials in order to test the efficiency of their medications. These trials are very complex, as their results decide whether or not a certain drug is released and prescribed to the public.

 

One of the biggest pharmaceutical companies, Merck, has conducted the second phase of a very important drug trial, Erbitux. This drug, aimed at fighting cancer, has proven to be very effective in fighting bowel tumors whose cells did not undergo a certain type of genetic mutation.

 

The Phase II trial for Erbitux has proven that 53% of patients who did not have a mutation of the so-called KRAS gene saw their tumors shrink, as opposed to just 36% of the patients from the group that had a mutated form the KRAS gene. These results were consistent with the ones gathered from the first drug trial.

 

Merck’s Phase II is actually the third study that provides conclusions which confirm that Erbitux is indeed efficient in treating metastatic bowel cancer, at least as an initial treatment. Last year, Merck said that “KRAS plays a vital role in the way Erbitux works, creating a debate among healthcare experts and investors on the net effect of the findings on Erbitux' future sales.”

 

Regarding their sales, Mark Dainty from Citi Investment said that “While fourth-quarter delays in reimbursement negotiations may create near-term disappointment on Erbitux, these are now complete in the key EU countries except Italy and we expect Erbitux use to accelerate in 2009.”