Gazyva (obinutuzumab) has been granted a Priority Review by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of previously untreated follicular lymphoma, according to a press release from Genentech.<\/p>\n
FDA approval was based on results from the GALLIUM study<\/a> <\/span>, a phase 3 trial comparing Gazyva to Rituxan (rituximab). Patients who received Gazyva plus chemotherapy followed by Gazyva therapy alone for 2 years had a 32% improvement in progression-free survival during the 41.1 month follow-up period, compared with the patient group who received Rituxan plus chemotherapy followed by 2 years of Rituxan therapy alone. Median progression-free survival has not been reached in either arm of the study.<\/p>\n In two separate phase 3 trials, Gazyva also was shown to be effective in treating previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma who experience disease progression during or within 6 months of prior Rituxan-based therapy.<\/p>\n The most common adverse events that occurred more often in the Gazyva arm of the study were low white blood cell count, infections, infusion-related reactions, low platelet count, new tumors, and cardiac events. <\/p>\n \u201cBased on the GALLIUM study, Gazyva-based treatment significantly improved progression-free survival over the current standard of care, and we are committed to bringing this potential new option to patients as soon as possible,\u201d Dr. Sandra Horning, chief medical officer and head of Genentech\u2019s Global Product Development said in the press release.<\/p>\n The FDA is expected to make a decision on approval under Priority Review by Dec. 23, 2017.<\/p>\n Find the full press release on the Genentech website<\/a> <\/span>.<\/p>\n