The FINANCIAL — Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (“Takeda”) and Takeda Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited (“TPEU”), its wholly owned subsidiary for oversight of pan-European sales and marketing, jointly announced on February 1 that Mepact (mifamurtide)1, the first new treatment in 20 years to improve survival in patients with osteosarcoma (malignant bone cancer)2, is now commercially available in the European Union – via a paid named-patient programme in countries where it is not initially reimbursed.
Osteosarcoma is a rare and often fatal disease, with approximately 1,200 new cases diagnosed in Europe each year; primarily children and young adults3. The standard treatment for osteosarcoma is surgical removal of the tumour (resection) with combination chemotherapy before and after surgery. Mepact is used in combination with these other anticancer medicines after the cancer has been removed by surgery1.
Data from the largest independent clinical study ever completed in osteosarcoma (662 patients) conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group in the USA, showed that when combined with chemotherapy, Mepact reduced the risk of death by almost one third compared with chemotherapy alone. In addition, 78 percent of patients survived after six years of follow-up after treatment with Mepact and chemotherapy, compared with 70 percent receiving chemotherapy alone4.
“There has been a significant lack of progress during the last two decades in treating osteosarcoma,” said Ian Lewis, Professor of Cancer Studies at St. James University Hospital in Leeds, England. “The availability of mifamurtide brings hope to children and young adults in need of a more positive treatment option for this devastating disease.”
Dr Erich Brunn, Chief Executive Officer for TPEU said, “This is an important milestone for Takeda in Europe and for the treatment of osteosarcoma. We are excited to bring this innovation to patients and physicians”.
Takeda anticipates that final reimbursement decisions in European countries will be completed during the course of 2010.
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