News Detail - Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG

Eckert & Ziegler Becomes Main Supplier to Innovative Leukaemia Drug


Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG / Contract
25.06.2010 11:47

Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by
DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.


Berlin, 25 June 2010. Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG (ISIN DE0005659700) becomes the main supplier of the radioactive component to the cancer drug ZEVALIN of the American drug company Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SPPI), Irvine, CA. As provided by a recently signed long-term contract, Eckert & Ziegler delivers the radioactive agent Yttrium-90 in the US with immediate effect for the production of ZEVALIN(R). Yttrium-90-radiolabeled ZEVALIN was approved by the US FDA in February, 2002 for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory, low grade or follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and in September, 2009 was approved for an expanded label to treat patients with previously untreated follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who achieve a partial or complete response to first line chemotherapy.

Eckert & Ziegler's member of the Managing Board responsible for its radio-pharmaceuticals segment, Dr. André Heß, said: 'We are glad to have been chosen by Spectrum Pharmaceuticals as the main supplier to this interesting product. The decisive factor, besides the high product quality of our Yttrium-90 was our flexible delivery capability that enables product delivery every weekday. For years we have produced Yttrium-90 of pharmaceutical quality in our production site in Braunschweig, Germany and have established an excellent reputation with our customers on various continents. As the demand grows we will also invest in new production facilities in the core markets.'

Eckert & Ziegler operates a number of production sites for radio-pharmaceuticals in Europe and, besides Fluor-18-based radio-diagnostic products for nuclear-medical imaging (PET), also markets its Yttrium-90 in Europe as the EMEA approved product 'Yttriga', a precursor product of numerous radio-therapeutic products. It is, among other things, being used for the treatment of liver cancer. Eckert & Ziegler also provides synthesis technology and -Gallium-68-(PET) radio-nuclide generators for nuclear medical facilities worldwide.
Spectrum Pharmaceutical's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President, Rajesh C. Shrotriya, MD, said: 'The framework contract with Eckert & Ziegler further safeguards and enhances our supply chain to ZEVALIN for the radioactive isotope Yttrium-90. We will now be able to supply and administer ZEVALIN to patients 6 days a week, rather than the previous availability of only 2 days per week. The recent FDA approval for ZEVALIN in the 1st line setting has resulted in continued optimism on ZEVALIN's growth prospects. ZEVALIN has received a Category 1 recommendation from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network(R) Drugs and Biologic Compendium(TM) and we have expanded our sales force and are making progress toward a streamlined reimbursement standard in both the hospital and community setting for this important therapeutic.'

About Eckert & Ziegler

Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG is a global isotope technology company and holding company for a number of specialized subsidiary companies in the field of processing of radioisotopes and of development, production, and marketing of isotope technology components, medical devices, and similar products. A public company listed as 'EUZ' on the Deutsche Börse the group generated a turnover of EUR 101 million in 2009 and is one of the largest suppliers of radioactive components for radiation therapy and nuclear medicine, employing 520 employees worldwide. Please visit our Website at www.ezag.com for more information on Eckert & Ziegler.

About ZEVALIN(R) and the ZEVALIN(R) Therapeutic Regimen
ZEVALIN (ibritumomab tiuxetan) is indicated for the treatment of patients with previously untreated follicular non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL), who achieve a partial or complete response to first-line chemotherapy. ZEVALIN is also indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory, low-grade or follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
ZEVALIN is a CD20-directed radiotherapeutic antibody. The ZEVALIN therapeutic regimen consists of three components: rituximab, Indium-111 (In-111) radiolabeled ZEVALIN for imaging, and Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radiolabeled ZEVALIN for therapy. The ZEVALIN therapeutic regimen is a form of cancer therapy called radioimmunotherapy. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is an innovative form of cancer treatment with a mechanism of action that is different from traditional chemotherapy. RIT builds on the combined effect of a targeted biologic monoclonal antibody augmented with the therapeutic effects of a beta-emitting radioisotope. Full prescribing information can be found at www.zevalin.com.

About Spectrum Pharmaceuticals

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biotechnology company with a focus in oncology and hematology. The Company's strategy is comprised of acquiring, developing and commercializing a broad and diverse pipeline of late-stage clinical and commercial products. In addition to continuing to build an efficient in-house clinical research organization with regulatory and data management capabilities, the Company has established a commercial infrastructure to market its drug portfolio. The Company markets two oncology drugs, ZEVALIN(R) and FUSILEV(R) and has two drugs in late stage development, apaziquone and belinostat, along with a diverse pipeline. The Company also leverages the expertise of its worldwide partners to assist in the execution of its strategy. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.sppirx.com.


Eckert & Ziegler AG, Karolin Riehle, Investor Relations, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 94 10 84-138, Fax -112, E-Mail: karolin.riehle@ezag.de, www.ezag.com




25.06.2010 Ad hoc announcement, Financial News and Media Release distributed by DGAP. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de

 
Language:     English
Company: Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG               Robert-Rössle-Str.10
              13125 Berlin
              Deutschland
Phone:        49 30 941084-138
Fax:          49 30 941084-112
E-mail:       karolin.riehle@ezag.de
Internet:     www.ezag.de
ISIN:         DE0005659700, DE000A0L1L69
WKN:          565970, A0L1L6
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Stuttgart; Freiverkehr in Berlin, München, Düsseldorf, Hamburg  
End of News DGAP News-Service