A new treatment is available for patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia. The name of the drug is Idhifa and it has been developed by the Celgene Corp and the Angios Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Celgene releases a statement
According to the biotechnology company, the monthly list of the drug is of 24,872 $. However, this is not the sum patients have to pay. The cost they have to pay has to be based on their health insurance plans and taking into account the duration fo the treatment.
AML
Acute myeloid leukemia is a rare genetic mutation originated from the bone marrow. This type of cancer spreads very fast and it causes an abnormal rise of white blood cells inside the patient’s body. Most patients diagnosed with AML are seniors; the disease is less spread among people under 45.
The Idhifa drug
This new drug created by the Celgene Corp is not yet perfect, but it is FDA approved. The drug has been approved after only one single trial, in which 199 AML patients with the IDH2 mutation have used it. Some of the subjects received treatment for six months and from those 90% of them experienced full remission for a period of eight months. 4% of the patients experienced partial hematologic recovery during 9.6 months.
The Novartis treatment
This treatment has been approved for newly diagnosed patients carrying the FLT3 genetic mutation. With the approval of Idhifa the differentiation syndrome can occur as an allergic reaction. This syndrome can turn lethal and includes multi-organ dysfunction, fever and respiratory problems.
The Idhifa treatment has been approved for AML patients with the IDH2 mutation. Only 8-19% of AML patients have the mutation, that is, according to Celgene, almost 1500 patients in the U.S. This number will increase by the end of the year.
