Oral Cancer Drug REVLIMID® Receives Marketing Authorization from Health Canada for Treatment of Multiple Myeloma
October 6, 2008
BOUDRY, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Celgene International Sàrl (NASDAQ: CELG) announced that its oral cancer drug REVLIMID (lenalidomide) has received marketing authorization approval from Health Canada for use in combination with dexamethasone as a treatment for patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. Multiple myeloma is the second most commonly diagnosed blood cancer worldwide. Approximately 6,000 Canadians have the disease and another 2,000 are diagnosed each year.
"Health Canada's authorization of REVLIMID represents a significant new option for multiple myeloma patients in this country," said Kevin Leshuk, General Manager, Celgene Canada. "This continues our stated goal of delivering REVLIMID as a safe, effective oral therapy to patients worldwide as quickly as possible."
The authorization from Health Canada was based upon the safety and efficacy results of two large, randomized pivotal Phase III special protocol assessment trials, North American Trial MM-009 and International Trial MM-010 evaluating REVLIMID plus dexamethasone in multiple myeloma patients who have received at least one prior therapy-both published in the New England Journal of Medicine in November 2007.
"This authorization further illustrates the fact that regulatory authorities around the world recognize that the combination of REVLIMID and dexamethasone provides significant benefit to patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy," said Graham Burton, M.D., SVP, Global Regulatory Affairs and Pharmacovigilance for Celgene. "Supporting this position is the unprecedented survival that has been documented in peer-reviewed publications and presented at major medical meetings."
REVLIMID is currently approved in the United States, the European Union, Argentina and Switzerland in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy and in Australia in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of patients whose disease has progressed after one therapy. REVLIMID is also approved in Canada, the United States and Argentina for transfusion-dependent anemia due to low- or intermediate-1-risk MDS associated with a deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities. REVLIMID has obtained Orphan Drug designation in the EU, U.S., Switzerland and Australia.
About REVLIMID®
REVLIMID is an IMiDs® compound, a member of a proprietary group of novel immunomodulatory agents. REVLIMID and other IMiDs compounds continue to be evaluated in over 100 clinical trials in a broad range of hematological and oncological conditions. The IMiDs pipeline is covered by a comprehensive intellectual property estate of issued and pending patent applications in the US, EU and other regions, including composition-of- matter and use patents.
About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma (also known as myeloma or plasma cell myeloma) is a cancer of the blood in which malignant plasma cells are overproduced in the bone marrow. Plasma cells are white blood cells that help produce antibodies called immunoglobulins that fight infection and disease. However, most patients with multiple myeloma have cells that produce a form of immunoglobulin called paraprotein (or M protein) that does not benefit the body. In addition, the malignant plasma cells replace normal plasma cells and other white blood cells important to the immune system. Multiple myeloma cells can also attach to other tissues of the body, such as bone, and produce tumors. The cause of the disease remains unknown.
About Health Canada
Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD) is the Canadian federal authority that regulates pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices for human use. Prior to being given market authorization, a manufacturer must present substantive scientific evidence of a product's safety, efficacy and quality as required by the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations.
About Celgene International Sàrl
Celgene International Sàrl, located in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, is a wholly owned subsidiary and international headquarters of Celgene Corporation. Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, is an integrated global biopharmaceutical company engaged primarily in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases through gene and protein regulation. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.celgene.com.
REVLIMID® is a registered trademark of Celgene Corporation.
This release contains forward-looking statements which are subject to known and unknown risks, delays, uncertainties and other factors not under the Company's control, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or other expectations expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include results of current or pending research and development activities, actions by the FDA and other regulatory authorities, and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission such as our 10K, 10Q and 8K reports.