Medivation and Astellas debut Xtandi in USA

14 September 2012

USA-based Medivation (Nasdaq: MDVN) and Japanese partner Astellas Pharma (TSE: 4503) yesterday announced the US launch of their prostate cancer drug Xtandi (enzalutamide), which was approved last month by the Food and Drug Administration for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have previously received docetaxel (The Pharma Letter September 3).

Xtandi is being distributed through a network of specialty pharmacies and specialty distributors. The drug will cost $7,450 for a month’s treatment. The global prostate cancer drug market, which has seen several new entrants (TPLs passim), is now valued at around $1 billion and is expected to rise to $5 billion by 2015 and $8.9 billion by 2019. Xtandi is still under review in Europe.

"Xtandi was approved by the FDA nearly three months ahead of the action date and we are proud of our accelerated efforts to get this new treatment option to patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have previously received docetaxel," said David Hung, co-founder, president and chief executive of Medivation.

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