EC OKs GSK's Hycamtin for relapsed SCLC

UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline says that the European Commission has granted Marketing Authorization for Hycamtin (topotecan powder for concentrate for solution for infusion) for the treatment of patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer for whom re-treatment with the first-line regimen is not considered appropriate.

Hycamtin is the first product to be approved in Europe that is specifically indicated for the treatment of relapsed SCLC. Data from its clinical evaluations demonstrated prolonged survival and quality of life compared to best supportive care in patients battling the disease.

The topoisomerase I inhibitor, which is already familiar to oncologists as a treatment for relapsed ovarian cancer, works by inducing DNA damage which results in the death of dividing cells.