Alimta extends progression-free survival among patients in late-stage study

INDIANAPOLIS — Cancer patients taking a drug made by Eli Lilly extended the amount of time they survived without their disease worsening, according to results of a study announced Sunday.

Lilly said results of the phase-3 “PARAMOUNT” study of the injected drug Alimta (pemetrexed) extended progression-free survival in patients with nonsquamous nonsmall-cell lung cancer. The study focused on continuation maintenance when one of the same drugs used as a first-line treatment for cancer is continued as maintenance therapy in an effort to control the disease.

Results were presented Sunday at the 47th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.