FDA Accepts for Review Spectrum’s Response on FUSILEV® as a Class 2 Submission, and Establishes April 29, 2011 as PDUFA Ac

  • FUSILEV®Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) is Under Review by the FDA for Use in Combination Chemotherapy in Advanced Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
  • FUSILEV is Currently FDA Approved and Marketed by Spectrum For:
    • Rescue After High-Dose Methotrexate Therapy in Osteosarcoma;
    • To Diminish the Toxicity and Counteract the Effects of Impaired Methotrexate Elimination, and of Inadvertent Overdosage of Folic Acid Antagonists

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (NasdaqGM: SPPI), a biotechnology company with fully integrated commercial and drug development operations with a primary focus in oncology, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing and review the complete response regarding its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for FUSILEV® (levoleucovorin) for Injection for treatment of patients with advanced metastatic colorectal cancer.

The FDA considers the submission a Class 2 response, therefore, the PDUFA Action Date is April 29, 2011.

FUSILEV is currently FDA approved and marketed by Spectrum for rescue after high-dose methotrexate therapy in osteosarcoma. FUSILEV is also indicated to diminish the toxicity and counteract the effects of impaired methotrexate elimination, and of inadvertent overdosage of folic acid antagonists.

About FUSILEV®(levoleucovorin) for Injection

FUSILEV, a novel folate analog, is available in vials as freeze-dried powder. FUSILEV rescue is indicated after high-dose methotrexate therapy in osteosarcoma. FUSILEV is also indicated to diminish the toxicity and counteract the effects of impaired methotrexate elimination and of inadvertent overdosage of folic acid antagonists. FUSILEV has been marketed outside the United States by Wyeth, Sanofi-Aventis, Takeda, and others for more than 10 years.

Important FUSILEV®(levoleucovorin) for Injection Safety Considerations

FUSILEV is contraindicated for patients who have had previous allergic reactions attributed to folic acid or folinic acid. Due to calcium content, no more than 16-mL (160-mg) of levoleucovorin solution should be injected intravenously per minute. FUSILEV enhances the cyto-toxicity of fluorouracil. Concomitant use of d,l-leucovorin with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in HIV patients was associated with increased rates of treatment failure in a placebo-controlled study. Allergic reactions were reported in patients receiving FUSILEV. Vomiting (38%), stomatitis (38%) and nausea (19%) were reported in patients receiving FUSILEV as rescue after high dose methotrexate therapy. FUSILEV may counteract the antiepileptic effect of phenobarbital, phenytoin and primidone, and increase the frequency of seizures in susceptible patients.

Full prescribing information can be found at www.FUSILEV.com.

About Spectrum Pharmaceuticals

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company with fully integrated commercial and drug development operations with a primary focus in oncology. The Company’s strategy is comprised of acquiring, developing and commercializing a broad and diverse pipeline of late-stage clinical and commercial products. The Company markets two oncology drugs, FUSILEV and ZEVALIN and has two drugs, apaziquone and belinostat, in late stage development along with a diversified pipeline of novel drug candidates. The Company has assembled an integrated in-house scientific team, including clinical development, medical research, regulatory affairs, biostatistics and data management, and formulation development, and has established a commercial infrastructure for the marketing of its drug products. The Company also leverages the expertise of its worldwide partners to assist in the execution of its strategy. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.sppirx.com.

Forward-looking statement – This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These statements include but are not limited to statements that relate to our business and its future financial results, Spectrum's ability to identify, acquire, develop and commercialize a broad and diverse pipeline of late-stage clinical and commercial products, leveraging the expertise of partners and employees around the world to assist us in the execution of our strategy, the safety and efficacy of ZEVALIN, FUSILEV, apaziquone, and belinostat, and any statements that relate to the intent, belief, plans or expectations of Spectrum or its management, or that are not a statement of historical fact. Risks that could cause actual results to differ include the possibility that our existing and new drug candidates, may not prove safe or effective, the possibility that our existing and new drug candidates may not receive approval from the FDA, and other regulatory agencies in a timely manner or at all, the possibility that our existing and new drug candidates, if approved, may not be more effective, safer or more cost efficient than competing drugs, the possibility that our efforts to acquire or in-license and develop additional drug candidates may fail, our lack of revenues, our limited marketing experience, our dependence on third parties for clinical trials, manufacturing, distribution and quality control and other risks that are described in further detail in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not plan to update any such forward-looking statements and expressly disclaim any duty to update the information contained in this press release except as required by law.

SPECTRUM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.®, ZEVALIN®, and FUSILEV®are registered trademark of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and TURNING INSIGHTS INTO HOPE™, and the Spectrum Pharmaceutical logos are trademarks owned by or licensed to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

©2010 Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



CONTACT:

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals
Paul Arndt
Senior Manager, Investor Relations
949-788-6700x216

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