Cell Therapeutics signs deal for US development of Bayer Schering's Zevalin

Cell Therapeutics has entered an agreement with Bayer Schering Pharma to gain access to the latter's late-stage trial of drug candidate Zevalin ([90Y]-ibritumomab tiuxetan). CT expects that data from the FIT trial will allow it to begin discussions with the US Food and Drug Administration regarding the potential for a supplemental Biologics License Application for Zevalin using the results. Based on these data, the European regulator recently approved Zevalin for use as consolidation therapy after remission induction in previously untreated follicular lymphoma patients. The benefit of Zevalin following rituximab in combination with chemotherapy has not been established, the firms noted.