More than half of the people diagnosed with cancer receive chemotherapy. While the use of chemical agents to kill cancer cells is an effective weapon, it is known to have a number of uncomfortable side effects – chief among them, nausea. But help may be on the way: last week the FDA approved a new medication patch designed to ease nausea in chemo patients.
Developed by ProStrakan Group, Sancuso® is a transdermal patch that helps prevent chemo-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). The patch is worn on the arm, and delivers the anti-nausea medication granisetron through the skin. The first of its kind to hit the U.S. market, the patch is designed to provide an alternative for people who have difficulty taking oral medications. But the long-lasting effects of the patch could be convenient and beneficial to other patients as well. A single Sancuso patch is designed to maintain a steady level of anti-nausea medicine in the body for several days (allegedly, up to seven). As a patch, Sancuso offers cancer sufferers who are at risk of severe nausea and vomiting a non-oral, non-invasive treatment choice. Sancuso eliminates the need for repeated daily injections, thus reducing potential infection risk, or having to take multiple pills on a daily basis.
After five years in development, the FDA approved Sancuso based on the results of a controlled study comparing the efficacy, tolerability and safety of Sancuso with oral granisetron. The trial enrolled 641 patients who received moderately or highly emetic multi-day chemotherapy, and found, essentially, that the two methods of delivering the medication have similar effects. Melvin Hren, a retired Philadelphia school teacher who took part in the clinical trial, said of Sancuso: "As a result of the patch, I was able to leave the house and be with the family. I was able to enjoy life a little bit. Without it, life would have been a lot more difficult." As part of the FDA approval, ProStrakan has agreed to conduct post-approval clinical studies, including evaluations of patch effects on children and the elderly. The trial also concluded that Sancuso's main side effect is constipation. However, in some cases, the drug can mask a bowel obstruction, which is a dangerous condition requiring prompt treatment.
Since many cancer patients are reluctant to undergo chemo because of the severity of side effects like nausea, the medical industry hopes that the new patch will offer another way to encourage patients and help them remain physically and mentally strong throughout the process. As ProStrakan’s CEO Dr. Wilson Totten stated in a company press release: “Significant challenges persist in the prevention of CINV, which jeopardizes the health of many chemotherapy patients and can deter them from continuing their cancer treatment.” While the prescription drug industry is no doubt a greedy and dangerous beast that has grown out of control, the inception of any medication that can assist in the fight against cancer is certainly a welcome development.
ProStrakan expects to launch Sancuso in the US before the end of 2008. Currently, no information on pricing is available.
To learn more about chemotherapy, visit http://www.chemotherapy.com/.
