Celgene’s Revlimid approved in Europe for mantle cell lymphoma

Celgene has announced that its cancer therapy Revlimid has been approved in Europe for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

The European Commission has approved the drug in this indication based on its strong performance in MCL-002, a phase II study showing the progression-free survival benefits the therapy offers compared to existing treatments.

MCL is known to have the poorest long-term survival rates of all B-cell lymphoma subtypes, with fewer than 50 percent of patients surviving at five years. There are few effective treatments available for this rare cancer type.

Revlimid is also indicated in various countries for the treatment of newly diagnosed and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Tuomo Patsi, president of Celgene in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: "Today is an important milestone in the fight to find new treatment options for patients with MCL, a difficult-to-treat disease with a high unmet medical need."

This represents the sixth new Celgene product or indication approved by the European Commission in the last 18 months.