Merck KGaA cancer therapy gets EU nod

Merck KGaA has announced it has been granted European marketing authorisation for its cancer therapy Erbitux.

Erbitux, a targeted therapy, will now be used in collaboration with radiotherapy to treat patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). It is currently used in more than 50 countries for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

“Erbitux takes head and neck cancer treatment an enormous step forward, providing more patients with the potential for a long-term benefit or cure,” said Dr Wolfgang Wein, Merck KGaA senior vice president of Global Oncology Commercialisation.

“We are conscious that these results open a new era in the management of locally advanced SCCHN. The approval of Erbitux across the EU for a second indication is a continuation of our commitment to ongoing research in the oncology field, with the aim of improving the health and quality of life for cancer patients.”

In the treatment of SCCHN, it was discovered that the Merck KGaA therapy did not increase the side effects associated with radiotherapy treatment, citing an “acne-like skin rash” as the most commonly reported side effect of the targeted cancer therapy.

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the therapy for use in the treatment of locally advanced SCCHN on March 1st 2006.

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