When was zevalin approved

Bruce Cheson, MD, head of hematology and director of hematology research at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, told CURE earlier this year that radioactive drugs, such as Zevalin and a similar drug, Bexxar tositumomab , are some of the most effective NHL therapies on the market, but are also some of the least used. I'm not sure how Zevalin's most recent approval will help tackle the issue of cost and availability, but at least the option is now there for newly diagnosed NHL patients.

An announcement on the drug's recent approval issued by the drug's manufacturer, Spectrum, mentioned that the company has plans to overcome these issues, which have plagued Zevalin since its original approval. About CURE. About Advertise Contact TargetedOnc. Get the latest pharma news delivered to your inbox. A valid email address is required. Subscribe for free. What job are you looking for? A patient again receives Rituxan, followed by a different form of Zevalin in which the antibody is bound to yttrium, a more powerful radioisotope that can provide a treatment benefit.

The accelerated approval requires IDEC to conduct further studies to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the drug in relapsed or refractory patients who have not yet received Rituxan.

In one trial, the basis for full FDA approval, 54 patients who were no longer responding to chemotherapy or Rituxan received the combination therapy. The second study, the basis for accelerated approval, enrolled patients who were not responding to chemotherapy but had not undergone Rituxan treatment.