Plitidepsin receives second negative recommendation across Europe

Access, MyelomaLeave a comment

Plitidepsin (Aplidin®), a new medicine for the treatment of relapsed and refractory myeloma, has today received a second negative recommendation from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP). This decision means that plitidepsin is very unlikely to made available to patients across Europe. This upholds a previous negative recommendation from the CHMP, which was reviewed following an appeal by the pharmaceutical company Pharma Mar.

Myeloma Patients Europe urges CHMP committee to approve plitidepsin for relapsed myeloma

Access, MPE, MyelomaLeave a comment

Myeloma Patients Europe (MPE) has written to the Chair of the Committee for Human Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) within the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to provide the patient viewpoint on the importance of plitidepsin (Aplidin®) for relapsed and refractory myeloma patients across Europe. We have outlined how important it is for patients across Europe to gain access to effective drugs that have new mechanisms of action.

Update on European melphalan shortages

Access, MyelomaLeave a comment

Melphalan (Alkeran®), a chemotherapy drug commonly used in myeloma, was not available in several European countries towards the end of 2016. Myeloma Patients Europe (MPE) became aware of the situation following reports from our members that it was impacting negatively on myeloma patients in their countries. We conducted a survey to explore the issue further, the results of which you can see here.

Delays in access to new cancer medicines and unjustifiable price rises for old ones disadvantage patients unnecessarily

AccessLeave a comment

Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Cancer patients are living longer and in many cases the disease is becoming chronic rather than acute. Access to drugs that help extend life and improve quality of life, and fair prices for those drugs are therefore essential for more and more people. But patients are badly served in this respect, with delays in the availability of new treatments and incomprehensible price rises for well-established therapies, including generics, according to the data…