Biotech companies Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. said Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration approved their drug Rituxan to help treat rheumatoid arthritis.
The approval allows the companies to market Rituxan to be used with methotrexate for the treatment of signs and symptoms of the disease, where the immune system inappropriately attacks joint tissue, causing inflammation and destroying cartilage, tendons and bones, often resulting in disability.
In a late-stage clinical trial, 51 percent of patients taking Rituxan and methotrexate had at least a 20 percent improvement in their symptoms, compared to 18 percent of patients who took a placebo and methotrexate.
About 12 percent of patients in the Rituxan group had at least a 70 percent improvement in their symptoms, compared with 1 percent in the placebo group.
In February, the companies gained FDA approval to market Rituxan to treat diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, an integral part of the immune system. The treatment was previously approved for use in another type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Genentech shares rose 46 cents to $86.15, and shares of Biogen increased by 45 cents $47.70 in premarket activity.
gene
biogen
View drug information on Rituxan.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий