Treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Abstract

The present invention concerns treatment of previously untreated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer with a combination of a growth inhibitory HER2 antibody, a HER2 dimerization inhibitor antibody and a taxane. In particular, the invention concerns the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in patients who did not receive prior chemotherapy or biologic therapy with a HER2 antibody binding essentially to epitope 2C4, a HER2 antibody binding essentially to epitope 4D5, and a taxane. The invention further comprises extending survival of such patients by the combination therapy of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the treatment involves administration of trastuzumab, pertuzumab and docetaxel.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method for the treatment of breast cancer, comprising administering to a HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer patient an effective amount of a growth inhibitory HER2 antibody, a HER2 dimerization inhibitor antibody, and a taxane, wherein the patient did not receive prior chemotherapy or biologic therapy. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the growth inhibitory HER2 antibody is trastuzumab, the HER2 dimerization inhibitor antibody is pertuzumab, and the taxane is docetaxel. 
     
     
         30 . A method for the treatment of breast cancer, comprising administering to a HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer patient an effective amount of pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and a taxane, wherein the patient did not receive prior chemotherapy or biologic therapy. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the taxane is docetaxel. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein pertuzumab, trastzumab, and the taxane are administered concurrently. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and the taxane are administered consecutively, in any order. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein administration of pertuzumab precedes administration of the taxane. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein pertuzumab and trastuzumab are intact antibodies. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein administration of the pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and docetaxel extends survival of the patient relative to treatment in the absence of pertuzumab. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein progression free survival (PFS) is extended. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein overall survival (OS) is extended.