Drug Overview
Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan; Acrotech Biopharma/Mundipharma) is an intravenous radioactive agent consisting of the murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) ibritumomab, which is covalently linked to the chelator tiuxetan. The MAb moiety selectively binds to the surface antigen cluster of differentiation (CD)20 which is expressed on the majority of follicular lymphomas. Zevalin’s main mechanism of action lies in its ability to generate free radicals that cause damage and death in the targeted cells. This effect is caused by the beta emissions from the radioisotope yttrium 90 (Y-90), which is bound to the tiuxetan chelate of Zevalin.
Zevalin was the first radioimmunotherapy to gain approval for the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL). It was initially approved for the second-line treatment of FL in the US market in 2002, and has since gained approval for first-line consolidation treatment. However, Zevalin has not gained significant uptake in this market due to logistical and economic issues associated with its administration, and it continues to be at a disadvantage compared to the more convenient targeted immunotherapies in FL. With sales dwindling, it is unlikely that competitors will develop a biosimilar version of Zevalin following loss of patent protection in late 2018 in Europe and Japan and early 2019 in the US.
Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan; Acrotech Biopharma/Mundipharma) is an intravenous radioactive agent consisting of the murine monoclonal antibody (MAb) ibritumomab, which is covalently linked to the chelator tiuxetan. The MAb moiety selectively binds to the surface antigen cluster of differentiation (CD)20 which is expressed on the majority of follicular lymphomas. Zevalin’s main mechanism of action lies in its ability to generate free radicals that cause damage and death in the targeted cells. This effect is caused by the beta emissions from the radioisotope yttrium 90 (Y-90), which is bound to the tiuxetan chelate of Zevalin.
Zevalin was the first radioimmunotherapy to gain approval for the treatment of follicular lymphoma (FL). It was initially approved for the second-line treatment of FL in the US market in 2002, and has since gained approval for first-line consolidation treatment. However, Zevalin has not gained significant uptake in this market due to logistical and economic issues associated with its administration, and it continues to be at a disadvantage compared to the more convenient targeted immunotherapies in FL. With sales dwindling, it is unlikely that competitors will develop a biosimilar version of Zevalin following loss of patent protection in late 2018 in Europe and Japan and early 2019 in the US.
Table of Contents
PRODUCT PROFILESZevalin : NHL: Follicular lymphoma
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Zevalin for follicular lymphoma – SWOT analysis
Figure 2: The authors drug assessment summary of Zevalin in follicular lymphoma
Figure 3: The authors drug assessment summary for Zevalin in follicular lymphoma
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Zevalin drug profile
Table 2: Overview of pivotal trial data for Zevalin in follicular lymphoma
