H-R3, a new humanized anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody (mAb), developed by Biotech Pharmaceuticals under the initiative of China Ministry of Science and Technology, was granted on April 11, 2005 with a new drug certificate issued by the China State Food and Drug Administration. As an anti-tumor mAb developed with modern biotechnologies, including genetic engineering, antibody engineering, and cellular engineering, the new drug is able to suppress tumors through interrupting tumor cell cycles, accelerating tumor cell decaying, blockading the formation of tumor vessels, preventing infiltration and spread, and enhancing chemotherapy effect. With numerous merits, including stronger specificity, higher bio-utilization, and fewer adverse effects, the new drug can noticeably increase cancer curability and patient survival expectancy. Clinical trials in nasopharynx cancer patients at an advanced stage have shown an increased complete recession by 30%, using a combined h-R3 therapy, compared with pure chemotherapy. Clinical trials also show excellent safety of the new drug, without serious adverse effects.
The new drug is currently being used on a clinical trial basis in Canada, Germany, and India , showing promising efficacy. In addition to applications to nasopharynx cancer as so approved, h-R3 can also be used to treat other cancers with over-expression of EGFR, including head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, colon cancer, esophagus cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, and prostate cancer. The new drug expects very broad commercial applications, as Chinese population have seen high occurrences of these cancers. |
