Cell Therapeutics, Inc (CTI) announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has granted pixantrone orphan drug designation for the treatment of DLBCL which accounts for about 80 per cent of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. CTI expects to file the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) in Europe for approval of pixantrone in mid-2010 and would be granted 10 year market exclusivity if it is approved. In the US, the Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) plans to review the New Drug Application (NDA) for pixantrone for the treatment of relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) on February 10, 2010. Pixantrone is a fast track designated product in the U.S. and is in review for approval by the FDA, with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of April 23, 2010.

Orphan drug designation is available in Europe for medical treatments and drugs intended to treat life-threatening or chronically debilitating conditions. Orphan drug designation can confer numerous benefits to companies developing such treatments, including regulatory assistance, reduced regulatory fees associated with applying for marketing approval, and assistance with clinical trial design.

"Orphan drug designation for pixantrone in Europe demonstrates that there is clear unmet medical need for patients with DLBCL," stated Craig W Philips, president of CTI. "We will continue to work with the EMEA to move our application forward in Europe expeditiously as we prepare for potential commercial launch of pixantrone in the United States."

Pixantrone (BBR 2778), is a novel topoisomerase II inhibitor with an aza-anthracenedione molecular structure that differentiates it from the anthracyclines and other related chemotherapy agents.

Headquartered in Seattle, CTI is a biopharmaceutical company committed to developing an integrated portfolio of oncology products aimed at making cancer more treatable.