Schering-Plough's Cytokine Research

Schering-Plough's interleukin-4 has now become the company's priority cytokine research product, while no more resources will be put into getting Leucomax (molgramostin) to the market, according to chairman Robert Luciano. Leucomax' dossier has been filed with the Food and Drug Administration since January 1991, and the company is reluctant to spend any more on the product since Immunex' competitor drug Leukine (sargramostim) has been on the market for three years and has not generated convincing sales.

S-P plans to begin Phase II/III studies of IL-4 in non-small cell lung cancer by the end of the year, and numerous other studies in solid and hematological tumors are ongoing. The company is also developing IL-10 for inflammatory bowel disease, and Phase I studies are scheduled to begin later this year.