Takeda's Innovative CD30-Targeted Antibody-Drug Conjugate Adcetris® Launches Nationwide in China with First Prescriptions Issued Across Over 30 Provinces

Shanghai, July 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --On July 30, 2020, Takeda’s innovative CD30-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, Adcetris^®(Brentuximab vedotin for injection) has seen the first prescriptions issued sequentially in over 30 provinces and municipalities across China, including Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Northeast China, Hubei, Henan, Hunan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Shandong, and Xinjiang, bringing new hope for life to numerous patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma. Adcetris^®(Brentuximab vedotin for injection) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with CD30-positive relapsed or refractory systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL) and relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL).

“I am pleased to see that an increasing number of innovative treatment regimens have been accelerating their entry into China in recent years, driving the alignment of lymphoma treatment in China with international standards and fostering steady progress toward precision medicine, thereby bringing hope for life to more patients.”Professor Ma Jun, Director of the Harbin Institute of Hematology and Oncology and Vice Chairman of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), stated.

“We are delighted to see that, within just two months of approval, the innovative CD30-targeted therapy has rapidly reached more than 30 hospitals across China and been swiftly delivered to patients, enabling individuals nationwide to access new treatment options at the earliest opportunity, thereby meaningfully extending survival and improving quality of life.”Professor Wu Depei, Chairman of the Hematology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and Director of the Department of Hematology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, stated.

“For decades, treatment options for relapsed or refractory lymphoma in China have been limited, with patients facing numerous challenges such as short survival times and poor prognosis. The introduction of novel antibody-drug conjugates into China will bring new perspectives to the diagnosis and treatment of these patients.”Professor Zhu Jun, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Department of Medical Oncology for Lymphoma at Peking University Cancer Hospital, stated.

Limited Treatment Options Leave Patients Eager for Innovative Drugs to Alleviate Survival Challenges

Lymphoma is one of the top ten malignant tumors with the highest mortality rate in China. Approximately 93,000 people are diagnosed with lymphoma each year, and more than 50,000 die from this cancer.¹. Currently, conventional treatment options in China for relapsed or refractory systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma and classical Hodgkin lymphoma are relatively limited, resulting in a poor prognosis for patients. Data indicate that approximately 40%–64% of patients with systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma experience relapse or disease progression after first-line therapy.², and the prognosis after chemotherapy upon relapse is poor. According to a retrospective analysis, the median PFS (progression-free survival) was only 1.8 months, and the median OS (overall survival) was only 3.0 months for patients with relapsed or refractory sALCL treated with chemotherapy.³; In patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma, salvage therapy options for those with advanced-stage disease are similarly limited and typically associated with a substantial treatment burden, particularly in patients who relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) or are ineligible for transplantation, who have a poorer prognosis.⁴; Patients generally face challenges such as short survival times, poor quality of life, and severe side effects, creating an urgent need for innovative therapies to alleviate their survival predicament.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma and classical Hodgkin lymphoma are both CD30-expressing lymphoma subtypes. As a CD30-targeted antibody-drug conjugate, Adcetris^®(Brentuximab vedotin for injection) has entered the Chinese market, marking that Chinese patients now have more treatment options to choose from, bringing new hope for life to a wide range of patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma.

"Addressing the urgent needs of patients, comprehensively accelerating supply chain assurance"

On May 14, 2020, the National Medical Products Administration officially approved Adcetris.^®(Brentuximab vedotin for injection) entered China. To meet patients' urgent needs as soon as possible, Adcetris^®(Brentuximab vedotin for injection) Since the product’s approval, full production efforts were immediately initiated. By overcoming various challenges during the overseas pandemic and through close collaboration across departments, a series of tasks—including manufacturing, packaging, transportation, quality control, and logistics—were successfully completed within just over two months, thereby achieving the supply of Adcetris.^®Nationwide simultaneous coverage ensures that patients across China can benefit from innovative targeted CD30 therapy at the earliest opportunity:

First BatchAdcetris^®(Brentuximab vedotin for injection) is now available in over 50 specialty pharmacies across 29 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions nationwide, with supply continuing to expand in major hospitals throughout China.

¹ Allemani C., et al. Global surveillance of trends in cancer survival 2000-14 (CONCORD-3): analysis of individual records for 37 513 025 patients diagnosed with one of 18 cancers from 322 population-based registries in 71 countries. Lancet. 2018;391(10125):1023-1075.
² Savage KJ, et al. Blood 2008;111:5496-504.
³ Mak V, et al. J Clin Oncol 2013;31:1970–6.
⁴ Boll B, et al. J Clin Oncol 2013:31:4431–7