Hospira mesothelioma drug Tomudex receives expert backing

Hospira's new malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) treatment Tomudex has received the backing of a panel of international experts at a medical conference.

The pharmaceutical company sponsored a symposium at the European Society for Medical Oncology congress to underline the benefits of the raltitrexed-based treatment, which is currently being rolled out across Europe.

Experts highlighted data from medical studies showing that use of Tomudex in combination with cisplatin improves survival rates among MPM patients, when compared to cisplatin alone.

This could be vital in the treatment of the rare but increasingly prevalent asbestos-associated disease, with traditional radiotherapy or surgery-based therapy options generally proving ineffective.

Professor JP van Meerbeeck, professor of thoracic oncology at Ghent University in Belgium, said: "New treatment options such as a combination of cisplatin and raltitrexed … are a welcome addition to our therapeutic portfolio."

Earlier this month, Hospira announced the appointment of Svend Andersen as its new European president, with the executive set to take up his role at the healthcare firm on November 1st 2010.