Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

Health Canada Approves Abraxane, Gemcitabine for Pancreatic Cancer

By Drug Discovery Trends Editor | August 7, 2014

Health Canada has approved Abraxane for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel powder for injectable suspension) (nanoparticle, albumin-bound [nab] paclitaxel) for first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The approval is welcome news for Canadians who are diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer, and represents the first approved treatment for this disease in nearly two decades.
 
The Health Canada approval was based on the results of MPACT (Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Clinical Trial), an open-label, phase 3, randomized, international study which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in October 2013. The MPACT study involved 861 chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer from 11 countries, including Canada, and showed a statistically significant improvement in median overall survival with Abraxane plus gemcitabine compared to gemcitabine alone (8.5 vs. 6.7 months) (HR 0.72, P<0.0001); a 28% overall reduction in risk of death. 
 
“This is a cancer where there are few effective treatments and the first-line approval of Abraxane in combination with gemcitabine represents an important advance,” said. Dr. Malcolm Moore, program head, Medical Oncology and Hematology and Director, McCain Centre for Pancreatic Cancer at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network in Toronto and an investigator in the MPACT trial. “This approval will certainly have an impact on the way physicians manage this disease in the future. Pancreatic cancer is a tough one to deal with; patients are desperate and physicians are on the lookout for new advances. The addition of Abraxane to gemcitabine has demonstrated significant benefits in overall survival and this gives our patients hope.”
 
“It’s been quite some time since we’ve seen any type of treatment advance for pancreatic cancer making this news so important for patients. This will give patients the hope that is needed to continue to fight,” said Laurie Ellies, co-founder, and acting executive director of Pancreatic Cancer Canada. “Over the past decade, there has been a significant improvement in cancer survival rates. Sadly, the same cannot be said about pancreatic cancer. We’re dealing with a deadly disease. For a person diagnosed with metastatic disease it can be a question of weeks. This year alone, we can expect an estimated 4,700 Canadians will be diagnosed with this disease. If anything, this number tells us that we are desperately in need of more research and treatments – patients are counting on it.”
 
Date: August 6, 2014
Source: Celgene

Filed Under: Drug Discovery

 

Related Articles Read More >

Lokavant’s Spectrum v15 uses AI to cut trial-feasibility modeling from weeks to minutes
Prime time for peptide-based drug discovery 
Why smaller, simpler molecular glues are gaining attention in drug discovery
Glass vial, pipette and woman scientist in laboratory for medical study, research or experiment. Test tube, dropper and professional female person with chemical liquid for pharmaceutical innovation
Unlocking ‘bench-to-bedside’ discoveries requires better data sharing and collaboration
“ddd
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news and trends happening now in the drug discovery and development industry.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Drug Discovery and Development
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • Medtech100 Index
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery & Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE