(RxWiki News) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new formula of melphalan under the brand name Evomela to treat patients with multiple myeloma.
Evomela is approved as:
- Conditioning treatment prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for patients with multiple myeloma
- A treatment to provide relief of symptoms and stresses associated with multiple myeloma
Evomela uses a technology called Captisol technology. This new formulation allows for the product to remain stable after mixing for much longer. This new formulation also facilitates the use of normal saline instead of propylene glycol (PG), which is in the original formulation of melphalan. According to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, propylene glycol (PG) is associated with toxicities like renal problems and heart arrhythmias.
“The improved stability of the CE-Melphalan HCl formulation may potentially ensure that cancer patients receive the full, intended therapeutic dose of therapeutic dose of IV melphalan" by increasing the use time and infusion time, said Dr. Parameswaran Hari, professor of hematology at the Medical College of Wisconsin and director of the Adult Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Froedtert Hospital, in a press release.
Multiple myeloma is a cancer that begins in the white blood cells. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be approximately 30,330 new cases of multiple myeloma in the United States in 2016.
