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J&J Says Leukemia Drug Shows Promise Yahoo News, July 15, 2003NEW YORK - Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday said its experimental leukemia drug Zarnestra eliminated all signs of cancer in 30 percent of elderly patients treated with the medicine. J&J said the drug also prolonged lives considerably. The average elderly patient taking Zarnestra survived 227 days, versus only 77 days in patients taking a standard chemotherapy drug, it told analysts at a meeting in New York where it reviewed its pipeline of experimental medicines. The
diversified health care company said 30 percent of elderly patients with
acute myelogenous leukemia given Zarnestra in a mid-stage trial saw
"complete responses," meaning all signs of cancer disappeared. Acute
myelogenous leukemia is the most common type of leukemia in adults, in
which immune-system cells become cancerous and rapidly replace normal
cells in the bone marrow. People over age 60 have the poorest chance of
responding to treatment, which is meant to destroy all leukemia cells. Officials
of New Brunswick, New Jersey-based J&J said it has already discussed
the results with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Regulatory
authorities share our excitement about the results," one J&J
official said, noting that additional testing will be needed to confirm
the drug's safety and effectiveness. Company
officials said they were also encouraged by early trials of a medicine
that could become the successor to the company's blockbuster Risperdal
treatment for schizophrenia, and possibly also treat bipolar disorder,
depression and anxiety. J&J
officials said the once-daily experimental anti-psychotic apparently does
not cause the worrisome weight gains that have recently caused a slowdown
in sales growth of Zyprexa, Eli Lilly and Co.'s top-selling rival
schizophrenia drug. J&J
officials said they plan to seek U.S. approval by year's end for a new
medical device called E Trans meant to treat pain following operations. The
company plans to seek U.S. approval early next year for its experimental
skin patch for pain. called AP 48. It uses the same active ingredient as
J&J's popular Duragesic patch, which is slated to lose its U.S. patent
protection in 2005. J&J
said The new patch uses an improved delivery technology, however, and will
be protected by its own patent. The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
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