Schering AG and Biogen Idec start phase III cancer drug study

Schering AG and Biogen Idec have announced the start of a new phase III trial designed to assess a new treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).

The two companies will test Zevalin in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in complete remission or unconfirmed complete remission after first-line Chop-riuximab therapy.

One group of patients will be given the new drug, while the other will receive no treatment.

The primary endpoint for researchers is overall survival, while the secondary endpoints include health-related quality of life and disease-free survival time.

Peter Zundorf, head of Schering AG’s oncology global business unit, said that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a disease that spreads “very fast”.

“It’s important that patients have options that provide the best efficacy available, especially in this indication where a complete cure is the goal,” he said.

Mr Zundorf concluded by saying that he was confident that Schering-Plough and Biogen Idec would be able to continue develop Zevalin to bring a “significant improvement” in treating the disease.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma accounts for approximately two in five of all lymphoma cases. The disease can affect people of all ages and is slightly more common in men than women, according to Cancerbackup, the cancer information charity.