Takeda receives European approval for cancer therapy Adcetris

Takeda's cancer drug Adcetris has been approved in Europe for the treatment of post-transplant Hodgkin lymphoma.

The European Commission has extended the current conditional marketing authorisation of Adcetris for the treatment of adult patients with CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma at increased risk of relapse or progression following autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).

Data from the AETHERA clinical trial was used to support this approval. AETHERA was the first completed randomised study to explore consolidation treatment immediately following ASCT as a way of extending the effect of transplant for the prevention of relapse.

The drug is being evaluated broadly in more than 45 ongoing clinical trials, and is being developed jointly by Takeda and Seattle Genetics.

Dr Dirk Huebner, executive medical director of the oncology therapeutic area unit at Takeda, said: "The European Commission decision is a significant milestone for patients who are at risk of relapse following stem cell transplant as Adecetris provides a treatment where none currently exists."

This comes after the firm recently announced a new alliance with Altos Therapeutics to develop a promising new compound for the treatment of gastroparesis.