Posted by Michael Wonder on 10 Jan 2017
Australian approval for drug that 'melts' leukaemia
10 January 2017 - A new anti-cancer drug with the power to ‘melt away’ certain advanced forms of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has been granted approval by the Australian TGA, following equivalent approvals in the United States and European Union.
CLL is the most common type of leukaemia in Australia, with 1300 people diagnosed each year.
Venetoclax, to be marketed as Venclexta, has just been approved for Australian patients with relapsed or refractory CLL with 17p deletion, a mutation that makes the disease relatively resistant to standard treatment options, as well as for patients with relapsed or refractory CLL for whom no other treatment options are available.
