Surveyed Oncologists Indicate that Avastin has Advantages over Temodar/Temodal in...

Surveyed Oncologists Indicate that Avastin has Advantages over Temodar/Temodal
in Increasing Overall Survival of High-Grade Glioma

A Drug That Improves Survival, When Added to Temodar/Temodal, Would Earn a 65
Percent Patient Share in the U.S. and a 30 Percent Patient Share in Europe in
Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme, According to a New Report from
Decision Resources

WALTHAM, Mass., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources, one of the world's
leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues,
finds that surveyed oncologists identify a therapy's effect on overall
survival as the attribute that most influences their prescribing decisions in
high-grade glioma. Clinical data and the opinions of interviewed thought
leaders indicate that Roche/Genentech/Chugai's Avastin has advantages in this
attribute over Schering-Plough's Temodar/Temodal (temozolomide), the
sales-leading agent in the market.

The new report entitled High-Grade Glioma: Prolonged Survival over
Temozolomide Will Be Integral to Market Success finds that a therapy, when
added to temozolomide, that increases median overall survival compared with
temozolomide alone would earn a 65 percent patient share in the United States
and a 30 percent share in Europe in newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme,
according to surveyed U.S. and European oncologists.

In 2008, Decision Resources' proprietary clinical gold standard for high-grade
glioma was Avastin. Although Avastin is not formally approved for the
treatment of high-grade glioma, the drug is widely prescribed off-label as a
result of promising Phase II clinical trial data. Based on expert opinion,
Avastin will retain clinical gold standard status through 2017, owing to its
high efficacy.

"Avastin emerges as our gold standard because of its efficacy, the attribute
surveyed oncologists rated as the most important in treating high-grade
glioma," said Decision Resources Analyst Ramya Kollipara, Ph.D. "Because the
prognosis for high-grade glioma patients is so poor, interviewed thought
leaders welcome Avastin's entry into this market because of its high efficacy,
despite its associated side effects and less convenient delivery."

About the Report

High-Grade Glioma: Prolonged Survival over Temozolomide Will Be Integral to
Market Success is a DecisionBase 2009 report. DecisionBase 2009 is a
decision-support tool that provides in-depth analysis of unmet need, physician
expectations of new therapies and commercial dynamics to help pharmaceutical
companies optimize their investments in drug development.

The report can be purchased by contacting Decision Resources. Members of the
media may request an interview with an analyst.

About Decision Resources

Decision Resources (www.decisionresources.com) is a world leader in market
research publications, advisory services and consulting designed to help
clients shape strategy, allocate resources and master their chosen markets.
Decision Resources is a Decision Resources, Inc. company.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers
best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the
healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed
decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at
www.DecisionResourcesInc.com.

All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be
trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information, contact:

Decision Resources Decision Resources, Inc.
Christopher Comfort Elizabeth Marshall
781-296-2597 781-296-2563
ccomfort@dresources.com emarshall@dresources.com

SOURCE Decision Resources

Christopher Comfort of Decision Resources, +1-781-296-2597,
ccomfort@dresources.com; or Elizabeth Marshall of Decision Resources, Inc.,
+1-781-296-2563, emarshall@dresources.com