|
AstraZeneca's dominance of the breast cancer market with
tamoxifen and its current research into Arimidex (anastrozole)
could be challenged by several other companies active in
this area.
Pharmacia
& Upjohn received marketing approval for exemestane (Aromasin)
in the UK in September 1999 for the treatment of post-menopausal
women with advanced breast cancer whose disease has progressed
following anti-estrogen therapy with tamoxifen. Aromasin
was also approved in the US in October 1999. Pharmacia &
Upjohn also received FDA approval to market epirubicin,
an anthracycline derivative, as an adjuvant therapy following
surgery for early-stage breast cancer that has spread to
the lymph nodes. Epirubicin has been marketed since 1984
in other countries as Farmorubicin. It will be marketed
as Ellence in the US.
One
of the most significant recent launches for breast cancer
treatment has been Genentech's Herceptin (trastuzumab),
which will be marketed outside the US by Genentech's majority-owner
Roche. Herceptin is being studied in combination with a
number of other drugs, including Rhone-Poulenc Rorer's Taxotere
(docetaxel). Similarly, The Liposome Company is studying
a combination of Herceptin and its liposomal doxorubicin
product, Evacet.
Bristol-Myers
Squibb's Taxol (paclitaxel) received US approval as an adjuvant
treatment for node-positive breast cancer in October 1999,
administered sequentially to standard combination therapy
containing doxorubicin. In June 1999, Bristol-Myers Squibb
sought FDA approval to market a combination of Taxol and
Herceptin as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer
over-expressing the HER-2 receptor.
14
Dec 1999, Copyright IMS HEALTH
|
