NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cumberland
Pharmaceuticals – announced today that it has expanded its medical
specialties to include oncology-related medications. The company's
entry into the oncology specialty includes two initial supportive
care medications: Ethyol® (amifostine) injection and Totect®
(dexrazoxane hydrochloride) injection.
"Since the company's founding, Cumberland has endeavored to deliver high
quality medicines to improve patient care," said CEO AJ Kazimi.
"Our strategy has been to focus on select medical specialties that
we can support nationally and make a significant impact. Oncology
is a particularly rewarding and valuable field, and we are
delighted to be able to help patients as they undergo their cancer
treatments."
There were 1,688,780 new cases of cancer diagnosed in the U.S.
in 2017, and advances in treatment have resulted in the average
patient now living longer after initial diagnosis. As a result,
quality of life becomes of paramount concern – and Cumberland's focus is on supporting cancer
patients during their treatment, with the goal of improving their
ongoing quality of life.
"The overarching goal of supportive care is to help patients
tolerate and continue their cancer treatments," said Kazimi. "Our
oncology medications enable us to target the side effects of
patients' cancer treatments and help address the psychological or
social problems that might result from those complications. We're
grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the welfare of cancer
patients, and help improve their quality of life."
Cumberland entered into an
exclusive U.S. license to distribute and market both Ethyol
and Totect with the Clinigen Group plc, a British specialty
pharmaceutical and services company following a Strategic Alliance
established between the companies.
Ethyol® and Totect® can offer significant benefits to cancer
patients as noted in the following:
ETHYOL® (AMIFOSTINE)
- Ethyol, Cumberland's first
oncology supportive care product, has two FDA-approved
indications.
- The product is used to protect kidneys in women who are
receiving cisplatin, a chemotherapy treatment for ovarian cancer,
as well as for the treatment of dry mouth (xerostomia) that can
occur in patients receiving radiation treatment for head and neck
cancer.
- Due to the greater likelihood of positive survival outcomes and
length of life, xerostomia is of great concern impacting the
patient's ability to eat, chew, and swallow for the rest of their
life. Xerostomia occurs in up to 80 percent of patients undergoing
radiotherapy.
- More specifically, health care providers are concerned with
toxicity levels in patients as a result of cumulative radiation and
cisplatin. These toxicity levels can prevent treatment in the
future, particularly toxicity to the kidneys (nephrotoxicity)
caused by cisplatin. The use of Ethyol results in significantly
fewer patients experiencing treatment-limiting nephrotoxicity when
compared to patients who did not receive Ethyol treatment.
For more information, including full prescribing instructions,
please visit
www.ethyol.com
TOTECT® (DEXRAZOXANE)
- Totect, Cumberland's second
oncology supportive care product, is an FDA-approved hospital-based
emergency oncology intervention drug.
- The product is indicated to treat the toxic effects of
extravasation which is the leakage associated with anthracycline
chemotherapy. Extravasation occurs when an injected medicine
escapes from the blood vessels and circulates into surrounding
tissues in the body, causing severe damage and serious
complications. Anthracyclines are a class of drugs that includes
doxorubicin, epirubicin, and daunorubicin which are used to treat
many cancers. The incidence of anthracycline extravasation has been
reported to be up to 6.0 percent, although it is widely
acknowledged to be both underreported and undertreated.
- Totect can limit the damage caused by extravasation without the
need for surgery and enable patients to continue their essential
anti-cancer treatment. It is the only FDA approved antidote to this
dangerous and debilitating problem that can occur when
administering anthracyclines. Even with advances in medicine,
anthracyclines are still a first line treatment for most solid
tumors. In clinical trials, Totect eliminated the need for surgery
in 98 percent of patients with anthracycline extravasation.
For more information, including full prescribing instructions,
please visit www.totect.com
About Cumberland Pharmaceuticals
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical
company focused on the delivery of high-quality prescription brands
to improve patient care. The Company develops, acquires, and
commercializes brands for the hospital acute care,
gastroenterology, and oncology market segments.
The Company's portfolio of FDA approved brands includes:
- Acetadote® (acetylcysteine) Injection,
for the treatment of acetaminophen poisoning;
- Caldolor® (ibuprofen) Injection, for
the treatment of pain and fever;
- Kristalose® (lactulose) for Oral
Solution, a prescription laxative, for the treatment of chronic and
acute constipation;
- Omeclamox®-Pak, (omeprazole,
clarithromycin, amoxicillin) for the treatment of Helicobacter
pylori (H. pylori) infection and related duodenal ulcer
disease;
- Vaprisol® (conivaptan) Injection, to
raise serum sodium levels in hospitalized patients with euvolemic
and hypervolemic hyponatremia;
- Ethyol® (amifostine) Injection, for
the reduction of xerostomia (dry mouth) in patients undergoing
post-operative radiation treatment for head and neck cancer and the
renal toxicity associated with the administration of cisplatin in
patients with advanced ovarian cancer;
- Totect® (dexrazoxane hydrochloride)
Injection, for emergency oncology intervention, to treat the toxic
effects of anthracycline chemotherapy in case of extravasation
(drug leakage from the bloodstream into the tissues).
Cumberland's pipeline of
product candidates includes:
- Hepatoren® (ifetroban) Injection, a
Phase II candidate for the treatment of critically ill patients
suffering from liver and kidney failure associated with hepatorenal
syndrome ("HRS");
- Boxaban® (ifetroban) Oral Capsules, a
Phase II candidate for the treatment of asthma patients with
aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease ("AERD");
- Vasculan® (ifetroban) Oral Capsules, a
Phase II candidate for the treatment of patients with the systemic
sclerosis (SSc) form of autoimmune disease;
- Portaban® (ifetroban) Injection and
Oral Capsules, a Phase II candidate for the treatment of patients
with portal hypertension associated with liver disease;
- RediTrex™ (methotrexate) Injection, an
approval submission candidate for the treatment of active
rheumatoid, juvenile idiopathic and severe psoriatic
arthritis.
For more information on Cumberland's approved products, including full
prescribing instructions, please visit the individual product
websites, links to which can be found on the Company's website
www.cumberlandpharma.com.
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SOURCE Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc.