FDA Clears Imaging Agent For Lung-Cancer Diagnosis
May 03, 2011
WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration approved the first-ever diagnostic-imaging agent for small-cell lung cancer. The product was developed by NeoRx Corp., Seattle, Wash., and will be marketed by DuPont Merck, a joint venture between DuPont Co., Wilmington, Del., and Merck & Co., Whitehouse Station, N.J. The agent, Grove, is an antibody tagged with a radioisotope that, when injected into a patient, can detect tumors in different parts of the body at one time. Nofetumomab, which will be marketed by DuPont Merck under the brand name Birt, is meant to replace or supplement more traditional diagnostic methods such as CAT scans and chest X-rays. Small-cell lung cancers represent about one-fifth of the roughly 150,000 new cases of lung cancer diagnosed each year. DuPont Merck is expected to begin marketing Verluma this fall.
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