Roche's NeoRecormon gets EU approval for weekly injection

Swiss drug major Roche has received European marketing approval for a simple and convenient once weekly subcutaneous injection of NeoRecormon (epoetin beta) 30,000 IU for the treatment of anemia in patients with solid cancers receiving chemotherapy. This expansion of the product label means that patients will no longer have the burden of three injections per week and their anemia can be managed in a more convenient way.

Anemia affects up to 95% of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. It can develop as a result of the cancer itself or as a consequence of its treatment. For most patients anemia manifests itself as an extreme and overwhelming fatigue that makes the impact of cancer even more devastating, Roche explains.

NeoRecormon 30,000 IU once weekly is proven to effectively and rapidly correct anemia, irrespective of the type of chemotherapy patients receive. It also reduces the need for blood transfusions by at least 50% compared to standard care and has been shown to significantly increase the time until patients need a first transfusion. Patients treated with the drug often experience an improvement in their quality of life and an increase in their daily energy levels, the company notes.