Bayer Schering Pharma says that a late-stage trial of Zevalin has demonstrated its effectiveness improving progression-free survival in patients with advanced follicular lymphoma. Volunteers in the study were given Zevalin as first-line consolidation therapy. In one group, patients were given Zevalin and in the second group patients received no further treatment after an initial response to initial induction therapy.
"Despite improvements in recent years, follicular lymphoma is still challenging to treat and many patients experience a relapse following treatment. An important goal of consolidation therapy is to ensure that, for patients who respond to initial induction therapy, the quality of their response is improved and therefore, their remission period is long-lasting", said Dr. Kemal Malik, Head of Global Development, Bayer Schering Pharma. "The aim of FIT was to see--in a randomized, prospective clinical trial setting--if a single therapeutic dose of Zevalin as first-line consolidation therapy could achieve this important goal."
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