Pleural Mesothelioma

Data from two large studies show that open patients had survival rates at one year than 50% when treated with ALIMTA (R) (pemetrexed for injection) or with plans to base of ALIMTA for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in both first and second line. The study results demonstrate significant benefits in efficiency and safety for ALIMTA Eli Lilly and Company, the only known agent demonstrating a survival benefit in this disease often difficult to treat and is mainly linked to exposure to asbestos. The data were presented today at the Twelfth World Conference on Lung Cancer.

One of the largest studies undertaken on the treatment of mesothelioma, this study three-arm, open, multicenter trial for (WCLC Abstract No. C5-01) consisted of patients treated with ALIMTA alone, arm, and combination with either cisplatin or carboplatin in the other two arms. The three arms showed survival rates at one year clinically similar (58.6% for ALIMTA alone, 63.1% for ALIMTA + cisplatin, and 64.0% for ALIMTA + carboplatin). The arms of ALIMTA plus platinum combination therapy achieved response rates higher ALIMTA alone (10.5% for ALIMTA; 26.3% for ALIMTA + cisplatin and 21.7% for ALIMTA + carboplatin). All 2023 patients treated in first intention had a histological or cytological diagnosis (the patient’s cells were examined under a microscope) of MPM that was not compatible with curative surgery.

An open multicenter study (abstract WCLC N C5-03) assessed the results of 988 patients who were treated in second line against the MPM with ALIMTA as a single agent, ALIMTA + cisplatin or ALIMTA + carboplatin, having previously undergone chemotherapy. The three arms showed survival rates at one year significant (54.7% for ALIMTA alone, 67.9% for ALIMTA + cisplatin, and 65.5% for ALIMTA + carboplatin). Patients treated with ALIMTA in combination with chemotherapy based on platinum obtained higher response rates (12.1% for ALIMTA; 23.8% for ALIMTA + cisplatin and 16.8% for ALIMTA + carboplatin). The toxicities of grade 3 / 4 most frequent for both studies were leukemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia.

Said Richard Gaynor, MD, vice president, responsible for research on cancer and oncology platform for global Lilly.

ALIMTA was approved by both the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States in 2004, in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of MPM. To date, ALIMTA has been allowed in over 85 countries in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of MPM.