Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company with a primary focus in oncology and haematology, has launched its new patient campaign for Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan) injection for intravenous use, on zevalin.com.

zevalin.com debuts four multimedia patient stories from actual patients living with follicular lymphoma and treated with Zevalin. Jan W, Laura T, Michael W, and Dave S all share their perspectives on life before cancer, diagnoses, treatment options, receiving Zevalin, and life today. zevalin.com has been completely redesigned to also become an educational resource for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals seeking information on follicular lymphoma and Zevalin. While the overall re-launch campaign will continue to focus on physicians with "RRZ" (rituximab, rituximab, ZEVALIN), additional emphasis will be placed on direct-to-patient outreach and patient-to-patient education.

“The stories of these patients on zevalin.com are very moving and reinforce the centrality of patients in the mission of our company,” said Rajesh C Shrotriya, MD, chairman, CEO and president of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “Patients today are more empowered through education to take an active role in learning about their treatment options. These four patients and their doctors chose Zevalin. We hope their journeys will inspire and encourage other follicular lymphoma patients to take an active role in educating themselves. Follicular lymphoma patients deserve to understand all of their options, including how one therapeutic dose of Zevalin could fit into their treatment plans.”

This initiative is part of a larger patient-to-patient campaign supported by print, digital, online, and personalized patient educational programs. More than ever patients are going online to learn about their disease and treatment options. zevalin.com has been redesigned in part to provide a forum for patients and caregivers to learn more from other patients living with follicular lymphoma and treated with Zevalin.

Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan) Injection for intravenous use, is indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory, low-grade or follicular B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). It is also indicated for the treatment of patients with previously untreated follicular NHL who achieve a partial or complete response to first-line chemotherapy.

Zevalin is a CD20-directed radiotherapeutic antibody. The Zevalin therapeutic regimen consists of two components: rituximab, and Yttrium-90 (Y-90) radiolabelled Zevalin for therapy. Zevalin builds on the combined effect of a targeted biologic monoclonal antibody augmented with the therapeutic effects of a beta-emitting radioisotope.

Deaths have occurred within 24 hours of rituximab infusion, an essential component of the Zevalin therapeutic regimen. These fatalities were associated with hypoxia, pulmonary infiltrates, acute respiratory distress syndrome, myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, or cardiogenic shock. Most (80 per cent) fatalities occurred with the first rituximab infusion. Zevalin administration can result in severe and prolonged cytopenias in most patients. Severe cutaneous and mucocutaneous reactions, some fatal, can occur with the Zevalin therapeutic regimen.

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company with a primary focus in oncology and haematology, currently markets two oncology drugs, Fusilev (levoleucovorin) for Injection and Zevalin (ibritumomab tiuxetan) Injection for intravenous use.