FDA Approves Allos Lymphoma Drug: BioBuzz
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WESTMINSTER, Colo. (
) -- U.S. regulators approved a new lymphoma drug from
Allos Therapeutics
(ALTH)
Thursday night.
The drug, Folotyn, will be used to treat patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) who failed to respond to previous treatments. Allos expects to launch the drug in October, the company said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to Folotyn based on the drug's ability to shrink tumors in PTCL patients. Allos is required to conduct further studies to confirm Folotyn's clinical benefit, but these studies will be done after the drug is launched commercially.
The FDA's approval of Folotyn comes after a
contentious advisory panel meeting
on Sept. 2 in which experts debated the risks and benefits of the drug. Ultimately, the panel voted 10-4 to recommend Folotyn's approval and the FDA
.
Allos shares closed Thursday at $8.15.
-- Reported by Adam Feuerstein in Boston
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