Treanda data could lead to 10-fold sales jump

Cephalon could have a blockbuster on its hands following the release of new data about its tumor-fighting therapy Treanda. The drug is currently approved for a form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which effects about 30,000 Americans. But at the American Society of Hematology meeting, the company revealed that Treanda paired with Rituxan outperformed the current standard of care in treating non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

In the trial, which included more than 500 patients, Treanda slowed cancer growth for 55 months, compared with just 35 months in those taking the standard four-drug treatment. And after 32 months, 40 percent of Treanda patients experienced full remission, while 31 percent went into remission on the old regimen. Finally, Treanda was associated with less hair loss and fewer infections.

Piper Jaffray & Co. analyst David Amsellem was upbeat on Treanda's future as the go-to treatment for NHL. "Could it make Treanda into blockbuster type of agent, up to $1 billion in peak sales? I don't think that's beyond the realm of possibility," he told Bloomberg. At $75 million in sales, Treanda currently accounts for just 3.8 percent of Cephalon's revenue. It could experience a 10-fold sales jump if adopted as the standard NHL therapy.

- read the Bloomberg report for more

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