About Clinical Research Studies

Clinical research studies are an important part of the development of future medical treatments. They are designed to help pharmaceutical companies and regulatory bodies around the world determine if medications under development (usually referred to as "investigational medications") are safe and effective.

People only participate in clinical research studies if they choose to, and they can stop participating at any time. Choosing not to participate will not affect the current medical care that you are receiving.

About this Clinical Research Study

The purpose of this clinical research study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational treatment to slow disease progression in people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body), in combination with the current standard treatment (Herceptin and docetaxel), as compared to the current standard of care combined with a placebo (an inactive substance that looks like the investigational treatment).

About the Investigational Drug

The investigational drug, called pertuzumab, is not chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. It is the first in a new class of treatments designed to target and destroy HER2-positive cancer cells.

Pertuzumab attaches to a HER2-positive cancer cell and may tell your body’s defense system to target that cancer cell for destruction. It may also stop the cancer cell from telling itself to grow and divide into more cancer cells.