TAKEDA’S New Treatment For Lymphoma Now Available For Patients in Saudi Arabia

 takeda Pharmaceuticals Company Limited today announced the launch of Brentuximab Vedotin, a new treatment for relapsed/refractory Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The announcement was made at the 6th annual meeting of the Saudi Scientific Society of Blood & Marrow Transplantation in Jeddah. The SSBMT brought together a number of leading physicians and specialists in the field of hematology from across the Kingdom. It featured a number of scientific and interactive sessions that reviewed the latest scientific research in the treatment of hematologic disorders,

Lymphoma is a general term for a group of cancers of the lymphatic system of which there are two major categories: Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Brentuximab Vedotin is approved for use in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Systemic Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma.

Dr. Ahmed Al-Askar, Chairman of SSBMT and Hematology Consultant at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City discussed the importance of such new advances in medicine for targeting lymphomas, especially in light of the increased incidence of blood-related disorders in Saudi Arabia. He emphasized the role of the Society in this regard, as a scientific institution focused on serving the local community and raising the standards of care in the field of blood and bone marrow transplantation.

Dr. Mohsen Al-Zahrani, Hematologist at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, commended the latest medical achievements of R&D centres affiliated with Takeda, for the treatment of various types of hematologic cancers, which provide new hope for patients with lymphoma. Previously, there were very few options available for the treatment of patients who suffer from refractory or relapsed lymphoma (R/R HL) or relapsed or refractory systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL). Hence, treatment using Brentuximab Vedotin represents an important milestone for improving patient survival rates.

Dr. Al-Zahrani added “Long-term data from the registration phase II trial in R/R HL found that 50% of patients receiving Brentuximab Vedotin were alive after nearly three years1, In addition, long-term data from the registration phase II trial in R/R sALCL found that 64% of patients receiving Brentuximab Vedotin were alive after four years of follow up, compared with a few months, prior to the availability of Brentuximab Vedotin2”.

Mr. Ennio De Ros, Managing Director of Takeda Saudi Arabia, said that: "Brentuximab Vedotin is the result of Takeda’s comprehensive research program and partnership efforts that reflect our commitment to developing innovative treatments to better serve patient needs and contribute to enhancing their lives”.