On April 17, 2014 Takeda reported that ADCETRIS 50mg for intravenous drip infusion (brentuximab vedotin) is now available for the treatment for patients with CD30 Positive Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) or Relapsed or Refractory Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) in Japan (Press release Takeda, APR 16, 2014, View Source [SID:1234500439]). ADCETRIS received orphan drug designation from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) in March 2012, and Japanese manufacturing and marketing authorization on January 17th 2014. Additionally, ADCETRIS was placed on the country’s National Health Insurance drug price list today, April 17th 2014.
ADCETRIS is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) comprised of an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody attached by a protease-cleavable linker to a microtubule disrupting agent, monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE), utilizing Seattle Genetics’ proprietary technology. The ADC employs a linker system that is designed to be stable in the bloodstream but to release MMAE upon internalization into CD30-expressing tumor cells.