Cephalon drug works in non-Hodgkin's lymphona-study

By Bill Berkrot

NEW YORK, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Cephalon Inc's (CEPH.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) experimental cancer drug Treanda appeared to be effective in patients whose non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) had progressed during or following treatment with Rituxan in late-stage study, the company and researchers said on Saturday.

Treanda, also known as bendamustine, induced a high rate of response in the 100-patient study, according to data presented at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting in Atlanta.

The primary goal of the study was for Treanda to achieve a response in at least 60 percent of patients, and a duration of response of at least six months, the company said.

In this pivotal phase 3 study, 75 percent of patients responded to the drug with a median duration of response of 9.2 months. Both were considered to be statistically significant, researchers said.

Of the 75 patients who responded, 14 had a complete response and three had an unconfirmed complete response.

"The high response rate in this study suggest that bendamustine could offer substantial periods of remission to patients with indolent (slow growing) NHL whose cancer is progressing after treatment with rituximab," Brad Kahl, the trial's lead investigator, said in a statement using the generic name for Rituxan.

"Because many patients with NHL eventually become resistant to treatment with rituximab and other therapies, new treatments are always required," Kahl said. Rituxan is a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma treatment sold by Genentech Inc (DNA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Biogen Idec Inc (BIIB.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).