Pfizer announced that important study results involving the company's leading anticancer agent, Sutent (sunitinib malate), as well as data examining an investigational agent, CP-751,871, will be presented at the 33rd European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Stockholm, 12-16 September 2008.

Researchers will present results of several analyses evaluating the cost effectiveness of Sutent as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), as well as updated data from a pivotal phase-III trial in mRCC. In addition, researchers will present updated results for CP-751,871, a novel anti-IGF-1R antibody, and the first in its class to initiate phase-III trials in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

"Pfizer has made a major commitment to oncology, and invests a significant portion of R&D funds in cancer research across four scientific platforms and 22 compounds," said Garry Nicholson, senior vice president, general manager, Pfizer Oncology Business Unit. "We are eager to share with the international oncology community key study results at the 2008 ESMO Congress."

Sunitinib, an oral treatment, was approved in Europe as a first line treatment for mRCC in January 2007. Sunitinib is also indicated for the treatment of unresectable and/or metastatic malignant gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) after failure of imatinib mesylate.

CP-751,871, a fully human monoclonal antibody, is a highly specific inhibitor of the IGF-1R pathway. The IGF-1R pathway is one of the key signalling pathways in cancer cells that lead to uncontrolled growth and survival of tumour cells.

Pfizer Oncology is committed to the discovery, investigation and development of treatments and currently has 22 innovative compounds in clinical development across four platforms.