Summary
Bayer has entered into a global agreement with Algeta for the development and commercialization of Alpharadin, a novel alpha-emitting radiopharmaceutical, based on radium.
Analysis
Alpharadin seems to have promising data, at least in initial trials with regards to extending overall survival for patients with prostate cancer with subsequent bone metastases.
It seems that the main concerns with most chemotherapy / chemoradiation therapy is:
1. Access to treatment
2. Ease of administration
3. Tolerability of treatment
From recent reports its apparent that the side effects are tolerated well, and that handling has not been an issue.
"Alpharadin (radium-223 chloride) represents a first in class opportunity of cancer therapy based on alpha-radiation, offering highly targeted treatment of bone metastases by delivering radiation directly to the tumor cells with low exposure to the surrounding tissue. While Alpharadin is currently being evaluated in patients with HRPC and skeletal metastases, the companies see potential in investigating Alpharadin for the treatment of bone metastases from other tumor types."
I quoted this statement to remind folks of the specific mechanism of action of Alpharadin, as well as to underscore the likelihood that this will have good utility with other cancer metastases to bone, based on its mechanism of action in the bone.
This is good news for us! We are always trying to fight cancer on every battlefront possible.
This author consults with leading institutions through GLG
Analyses are solely the work of the authors and have not been edited or endorsed by GLG.
