New York, NY (June 5, 2017) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it has approved the use of subcutaneous rituximab (Rituxan ®) to treat patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma, previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), relapsed or refractory low grade or follicular lymphoma, and previously untreated and relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This announcement comes months after the FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voiced its unanimous support for the new co-formulation of the monoclonal antibody rituximab and hyaluronidase (rHuPH20), which can be administered in a matter of minutes, as opposed to over a period of hours.
“Today’s approval of subcutaneous rituximab marks an important advance in the development of new treatment options for people with lymphoma,” said Meghan Gutierrez, Chief Executive Officer of the Lymphoma Research Foundation. “Novel therapies and new methods of administration are important to ensuring that patients and their physicians, through shared decision making, are able to access the right treatments at the right time.”
Over 50 countries throughout the world have approved similar co-formulations that allow for the subcutaneous (under the skin) injection of rituximab, as opposed to the more time intensive intravenous (into the bloodstream) model.
To learn more about this approval, visit the FDA press announcement here.
About the Lymphoma Research Foundation
The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is the nation’s largest non-profit organization devoted to funding innovative research and serving the lymphoma community through a comprehensive series of education programs, outreach initiatives and patient services. To date, LRF has awarded nearly $60 million in lymphoma-specific research. For additional information on LRF’s research, education and services, visit lymphoma.org.
Contact:
Jake DiGregorio
508-414-8853
jdigregorio@lymphoma.org