Mundipharma launches DepoCyte in Europe

Published: 9-Feb-2004

DepoCyte, a treatment for lymphomatous meningitis, has been launched in Europe by UK-based SkyePharma and its marketing partner Mundipharma International Holdings.


DepoCyte, a treatment for lymphomatous meningitis, has been launched in Europe by UK-based SkyePharma and its marketing partner Mundipharma International Holdings.

Mundipharma has exclusive marketing and distribution rights for this product for most European and Eastern European countries.

DepoCyte is a sustained release injectable formulation of cytarabine and is approved in both the US and Europe. Lymphomatous meningitis is a serious late-stage complication of lymphoma, and is a subset of neoplastic meningitis. Cytarabine is known to be an effective treatment for neoplastic meningitis but it is rapidly metabolised. Patients therefore require spinal injections every two days, which are uncomfortable and carry significant risks including the introduction of infection.

SkyePharma's proprietary DepoFoam delivery technology encapsulates cytarabine in water solution within minute particles of lipid. After injection, these particles gradually degrade, prolonging the release of the drug and extending the period between injections to two weeks. Furthermore, sustained maintenance of high levels of cytarabine in the cerebrospinal fluid may also prolong the time to neurological progression.

'Lymphomatous meningitis is both under-diagnosed and under-treated and DepoCyte offers great potential to bring relief of suffering from this devastating complication of cancer,' said SkyePharma's ceo, Michael Ashton.

  

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