Teva Pharmaceutical has been given a green light by the European Commission (EC) for Lonquex, a rival to Amgen’s blockbuster Neulasta.

lipegfilgrastim

C ₈₆₄ H ₁₃₆₉ N ₂₂₅ O ₂₅₈ S ₉ [C ₂ H ₄ O] _N

117844-87-7

pegylated granulocyte colony stimulating factor; O3.133-[N5-(N-{[ω-methoxypoly (oxyethylene)] carbonyl} glycyl)-α-neuraminyl-(2 → 6)-α-D-galactopyranosyl]-L-methionyl -des-1-L-alanine-des-37-L-valine-des-38-L-serine-des-39-L-glutamic acid-human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, pluripoietin)

Lonquex (lipegfilgrastim) has been approved to reduce the duration of neutropaenia (low white blood cell counts) and febrile neutropaenia in patients undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy for cancer, and is given as a single subcutaneous dose per cycle of chemotherapy.

Like Neulasta (pegfilgrastim), Lonquex is a long-acting recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and is dosed at the same frequency as Amgen’s drug.

http://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/neulasta_rival_from_teva_cleared_in_eu_495953