With a ready-to-dilute format and 1,000mg strength option, the drug helps in reducing contamination risks
The new Novartis Pavillon on the Novartis Campus in Basel. (Credit: Novartis AG.)
Sandoz, a generics and biosimilars company of Novartis, has rolled out the generic oncology therapy Pemetrexed in 11 European countries, including Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Spain.
Pemetrexed is a multi-targeted antifolate anti-cancer agent, designed to disrupt the crucial folate-dependent metabolic processes essential for cell replication.
The drug, as a monotherapy or in combination with cisplatin, is indicated for first-line, second-line and maintenance treatment of metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) other than predominantly squamous cell histology.
Also, it is indicated for the treatment of chemotherapy naïve patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma.
NSCLC is the most prevalent form of the disease, affecting approximately 85% of those diagnosed with lung cancer.
Pemetrexed works by inhibiting folate-dependent enzymes, which are critical to the de-novo biosynthesis of nucleotides leading to the disruption of DNA replication.
The new treatment in ready-to-dilute format is administered through a 10-minute intravenous infusion in a hospital setting.
Its 1,000mg strength option is said to eliminate the unnecessary handling steps and reduce the related contamination risks and patient waiting times.
Sandoz Europe region head Rebecca Guntern said: “At Sandoz, we are committed to using our expertise in product development to enable us to deliver high quality, innovative products that address the needs of patients and healthcare professionals.
“By providing Pemetrexed in a ready-to-dilute format and in an additional, higher-strength dosage, we believe that this treatment option will not only be more cost-effective for payers, but patients and physicians will also be able to benefit from the reduced preparation steps required.”
Sandoz is expected to announce the further launches across Europe throughout the second half of 2021.
In February, the company signed an agreement with GSK to acquire the latter’s cephalosporin antibiotics business, strengthening its antibiotics capabilities.