Sandoz receives eighth EC approval for a biosimilar with Ziextenzo (pegfilgrastim)
Sandoz, a Novartis division and the pioneer and global leader in biosimilars, announced that the European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorization for biosimilar Ziextenzo (pegfilgrastim).
Ziextenzo is indicated to reduce the duration of neutropenia and incidence of febrile neutropenia in adult patients treated with cytotoxic (anti-cancer) chemotherapy for malignancy with the exception of chronic myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. These indications match those of the reference medicine.
“Despite advancements in cancer treatment, febrile neutropenia remains one of the most significant complications of chemotherapy and is a major cause of morbidity,”[4] said Stefan Hendriks, Global Head of Biopharmaceuticals, Sandoz. “With the approval of Ziextenzo, a long-acting version of oncology supportive medicine filgrastim, we look forward to providing a treatment option that delivers the possibility of further reducing both the personal and financial burden of cancer.”
This approval was based on comprehensive analytical, preclinical and clinical data. In these studies, Ziextenzo matched the reference medicine in terms of safety, efficacy and quality.[5]-[8] Pegfilgrastim, the active substance in Ziextenzo, is a long-acting form of filgrastim, which stimulates the production of white blood cells.
“Pegfilgrastim biosimilars, such as Ziextenzo, mark a true advancement for people with cancer. These medicines help deliver optimized long-acting dosing and patient convenience while creating savings for our hard-pressed health systems,” said Dr. Paul Cornes, oncologist and member of the Continuing Medical Education program of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists and Core Lecturer for the European School of Oncology, United Kingdom.
Sandoz remains committed to making access happen for patients and leads in biosimilars with eight approved biosimilars worldwide, including five in the last 18 months. We look forward to making available a robust portfolio of biosimilar medicines that enables early and expanded access for patients as well as generates healthcare savings worldwide.