Healthcare Industry News: Allergan
News Release - July 21, 2009
FDA Designates Fast Track Status for Apaziquone (EOquin(R)) for Bladder Cancer
Apaziquone is Currently In Registrational TrialsEnrollment is Expected to be Completed by Year End 2009
IRVINE, Calif.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (NasdaqGM: SPPI ) and Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN ) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation for the investigation of apaziquone (EOquin(R)) for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, a form of bladder cancer localized in the surface layers of the bladder that has not spread to the deeper muscle layer. Approximately 70% of all newly diagnosed patients with bladder cancer have non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.1 More than one million patients in the United States and Europe are estimated to be affected by the disease.2
“We are pleased that the FDA has accepted apaziquone under its Fast Track program,” said Rajesh C. Shrotriya, MD, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. “In a marker lesion study, where patients had previously failed multiple therapies, apaziquone produced a 67% complete response and was well-tolerated. We look forward to continuing with Phase 3 studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of apaziquone, while working with the FDA to expedite the drug’s development, review and approval process so we can help address the substantial unmet needs of patients suffering from non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.”
Fast Track designation is designed to facilitate drug development and expedite the review of drugs intended to treat serious conditions and demonstrate the potential to address unmet medical needs. The purpose is to get important new drugs to the patient earlier. Fast Track addresses a broad range of serious diseases. Once a drug receives Fast Track designation, early and frequent communication between the FDA and a drug company is encouraged throughout the entire drug development and review process. The frequency of communication facilitates the sponsor's ability to expeditiously address questions and issues. A drug that receives Fast Track designation is eligible for a Rolling Review, which means that a drug company can submit completed sections of its New Drug Application (NDA) for review by FDA, rather than waiting until every section of the application is completed before the entire application can be reviewed. NDA review usually does not begin until the drug company has submitted the entire application to the FDA.
About Spectrum Pharmaceuticals
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biotechnology company with a focus in oncology. The Company’s strategy is comprised of acquiring and developing a broad and diverse pipeline of late-stage clinical and commercial products; establishing a commercial organization for its approved drugs; continuing to build a team with people who have demonstrated skills, passion, commitment and have a track record of success in its areas of focus; and, leveraging the expertise of partners around the world to assist it in the execution of its strategy. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.spectrumpharm.com.
About Allergan, Inc.
Founded in 1950, Allergan, Inc., with headquarters in Irvine, California, is a multi-specialty health care company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative pharmaceuticals, biologics and medical devices that enable people to live life to its greatest potential – to see more clearly, move more freely, express themselves more fully. The Company employs approximately 8,000 people worldwide and operates state-of-the-art R&D facilities and world-class manufacturing plants. In addition to its discovery-to-development research organization, Allergan has global marketing and sales capabilities with a presence in more than 100 countries.
Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Allergan, Inc. Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," including the statements by Mr. Shrotriya and other statements regarding the safety, effectiveness, development timing and market potential associated with apaziquone and other pharmaceutical products. If the underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from Allergan's or Spectrum's expectations and projections. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, general industry and pharmaceutical market conditions; technological advances and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in the research and development and regulatory processes; challenges related to product marketing, such as the unpredictability of market acceptance for new products; inconsistency of treatment results among patients; the potential for product failures; potential difficulties in manufacturing new products; governmental laws and regulations affecting domestic and foreign operations; and the ongoing success of the collaboration. Allergan and Spectrum expressly disclaim any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required to do so by law.
Additional information concerning these and other risk factors can be found in press releases issued by Allergan, as well as Allergan's public periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under the heading "Risk Factors" in Allergan's 2008 Form 10-K and Allergan's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009. Copies of Allergan's press releases and additional information about Allergan are available on the World Wide Web at www.Allergan.com or you can contact the Allergan Investor Relations Department by calling 714.246.4636.
This press release may also 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 Spectrum’s business and its future, Spectrum's ability to identify, acquire, develop and commercialize a broad and diverse pipeline of late-stage clinical and commercial products, establishing a commercial organization for Spectrum’s approved drugs, continuing to build Spectrum’s team, leveraging the expertise of partners around the world to assist Spectrum in the execution of its strategy, building sustainable shareholder value for Spectrum’s shareholders, the safety and efficacy of apaziquone and that enrollment will be completed by year-end 2009, 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 Spectrum’s existing and new drug candidates may not prove safe or effective, the possibility that Spectrum’s 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 Spectrum’s existing and new drug candidates, if approved, may not be more effective, safer or more cost efficient than competing drugs, the possibility that Spectrum’s efforts to acquire or in-license and develop additional drug candidates may fail, Spectrum’s lack of revenues, limited marketing experience, dependence on third parties for clinical trials, manufacturing, distribution and quality control and other risks that are described in further detail in Spectrum’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Spectrum does 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.(R) is a registered trademark of Spectrum, TURNING INSIGHTS INTO HOPE™ and the Spectrum Pharmaceutical logos are trademarks owned by Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
© 2009 Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
1 Kirkali Z, et al. Bladder Cancer: Epidemiology, Staging and Grading, and Diagnosis. Urology 66 (Suppl 6A): 4-34, 2005.
2 For U.S. see National Cancer Institute. Bethesda, MD, http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html accessed 10-23-2008; For Europe see Globocan 2002 database, http://www-dep.iarc.fr/ accessed 10-23-2008.
Source: Spectrum Pharmaceuticals
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