Janssen receives EU approval for subcutaneous Velcade

Janssen has been granted European Commission approval for a new subcutaneous indication of its multiple myeloma therapy Velcade.

This approval could prove an important breakthrough for sufferers of the dangerous blood cancer, as it allows patients that are not able to benefit from intravenous therapies to receive treatment with Velcade.

Data from the phase III MMY-3021 trial showed that subcutaneous Velcade delivers the same level of efficacy as intravenous methods, while reducing the frequency and severity of side effects.

The subcutaneous version of the bortezomib-based therapy has been approved in the US since January 2012 and in Canada since March.

Jane Griffiths, Janssen's EMEA chairman, said: "We are delighted to now be able to offer an alternative treatment option that could result in both improved convenience and outcomes for patients across Europe and the professionals that treat them."

This comes after Janssen's leukaemia drug Dacogen was also recently approved by the European Commission.