August 3, 2012 – Bayer Healthcare, a ground-breaking, global leader in the medical treatments industry, is committed to improving the prognosis of mesothelioma patients, as well as improving their quality of life. The company has announced that its researchers have obtained “orphan drug” status for a new treatment for mesothelioma patients. The investigational anti-cancer agent, known as BAY 94-9343, is a mesothelin-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, currently in Phase 1 clinical development.
Professor Andreas Busch, head of Bayer’s global drug discovery, explains that orphan drug status is crucial to the development of this new agent. Each stage of development brings effective treatment of mesothelioma closer. Bayer is currently studying and evaluating BAY 94-9343 and it effect on malignant mesothelioma patients at three study centers in the United States. This phase of the study is expected to be finished in August 2014.
While orphan drug status does not necessarily shorten the approval process of the new drug, it does allow the development of drugs that might not otherwise be pursued. Specifically, orphan drug status provides motivation to drug makers to develop drugs geared to the prevention or treatment of medical conditions that affect less than 200,000 individuals, or conditions that affect more than 200,000 persons but the cost of development is not expected to be covered by the drug sales. The status also allows the drug maker to exclusively market the drug for seven years without competition from generic products, while receiving tax breaks related to the trial expenses and possible exemption of FDA fees. Read more about the Orphan Drug Program in a previous Shein Law Blog post.
Contact the Philadelphia Mesothelioma Attorneys at the Shein Law Today
Philadelphia mesothelioma attorneys at Shein Law are committed to staying informed about developing mesothelioma treatments. Our goal is to assist our clients through the difficult path of dealing with a mesothelioma diagnosis. We seek not only to provide stellar legal representation so that financial recovery is maximized, but to provide information and support that will improve our clients’ quality of life while fighting this devastating disease. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer or any other asbestos-related illness, contact our mesothelioma attorneys today at 1-877-743-4652 or contact us online.