Avastin helps halt tumors, firms say

Genentech Inc. and Roche Holding’s Avastin, in combination with the most commonly used chemotherapies, helped women with breast cancer live longer without their disease worsening, a finding that could bolster use of the medicine.

Avastin, used as a first-line therapy and combined with either Switzerland-based Roche’s Xeloda, a taxane drug such as paclitaxel or anthracycline, kept tumors in check in women with advanced breast cancer better than chemotherapy alone, the companies said. Genentech is based in South San Francisco.