Cell Therapeutics, Inc (CTI) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted and has filed for review the company's New Drug Application (NDA) for pixantrone as treatment for relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). A Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date will be established by the FDA regarding the review of the pixantrone NDA by September 4, 2009.

"The FDA's acceptance to file our pixantrone NDA represents a significant milestone for CTI and for patients with relapsed and refractory aggressive NHL. We look forward to working with the FDA and their final decision on our request for priority review," noted James Bianco, chief executive officer of CTI.

Pixantrone (BBR 2778), is a novel topoisomerase II inhibitor with an aza-anthracenedione molecular structure that differentiates it from currently marketed 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.