OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals Inc said that the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has given a “fast track designation” for the company’s metastatic prostate cancer drug candidate. The OGX-O11 drug, also known as custirsen sodium, when combined with first-line docetaxel (chemotherapy) treatment, has been given the designation, which is only given to drugs “that may provide a significant improvement in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment for a serious or life-threatening disease.”

Roche Holding AG said cancer drug Avastin could play an important role in improving the daily lives of patients with the most aggressive form of brain cancer. An analysis of the phase II BRAIN study of Avastin alone or in combination with irinotecan chemotherapy for the treatment of relapsed or progressive glioblastoma demonstrated that the six months Avastin-based therapy improved patients’ chances of remaining alive without worsening their disease and had additional positive impact on patients.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd began selling a generic injectable version of Eloxatin, a chemotherapy drug, after the approval of the FDA. The oxaliplatin drug is available in 50 mg and 100 mg dosage. The US sales of Eloxatin totaled $1.3 billion in 2008 and the drug is approved to treat advanced colon cancer and stage III colon cancer following surgery.

The FDA has approved Alimta, the first drug for maintenance therapy of advanced or metastatic lung cancer. Manufactured by Eli Lilly and generically known as pemetrexed, this drug may prevent this form of lung cancer from progressing further after the size of the tumor has shrunk or been stabilized following chemotherapy. Alimta works by disrupting metabolic processes which depend on the B-vitamin folate for cell replication.

The joint venture of Biocon in Abu Dhabi, NeoBiocon has launched Abraxane, the drug for breast cancer, based on nanotechnology, in the UAE. Developed by Abraxis BioScience, Inc., Abraxane will be marketed in South Asia and West Asia by Biocon,  as per the agreement they signed in 2007. The drug will be effective for patients who did not benefit from combination therapy. A chemotherapy agent, the drug combines paclitaxel with a naturally occurring human protein, albumin. The drug can be delivered without the use of solvents, allowing for a higher dosage. Also, the time to administer is 6 times lesser.