Cephalon reports Treanda study results

Cephalon has announced the publication of phase II study reults of Treanda (bendamustine hydrochloride) for injection plus ritxuimab in relapsed indolent B-cell and mantle cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients.

The results were published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and showed 92 per cent of patients with the condition responding to treatment.

Furtheremore, a complete response rate of 41 per cent was observed in the study, with responses durable with a median period of 21 months overall.

Treanda is currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for chronic lympocytic leukaemia but is not yet approved for patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

It has a unique chemical structure comprising of an alkylating group and benzimidazole component, with preclinical study data suggesting the compound leads to cell death via a number of pathways.

Dr Charles Morris, vice-president of worldwide clinical research at Cephalon, said: “A variety of treatment options have been employed in patients with indolent B-cell and mantle cell lymphomas, but resistance to treatment in this patient population often limits effective therapeutic options.”

He added that based on the recent study results, the combination of rituximab with Treanda appears to result in a high rate of durable responses together with encouraging progression-free survival.

In February 2008, Cephalon suggested this year would be a “significant” one for Treanda.