Content about Hematology

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a generic treatment for iron deficiency anemia made by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Watson said Thursday.

The drug maker announced the approval of Nulecit (sodium ferric gluconate complex in sucrose), an injectable and generic version of Sanofi-Aventis’ Ferrlecit.

The drug is used to treat iron deficiency anemia in adults and children ages 6 years and older undergoing chronic hemodialysis and receiving supplemental epoetin therapy.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a treatment for a rare bleeding disorder.

The FDA announced the approval of Corifact, used to prevent bleeding in people with the genetic disorder congenital Factor XIII deficiency, which affects 1-in-3 million to 5 million people in the United States.

The drug is manufactured by Marburg, Germany-based CSL Behring.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — U.S. generic drug maker Watson Pharmaceuticals and Indian drug maker Natco Pharma will work together to develop and commercialize a generic drug used for bone marrow disorders, the two companies said Tuesday.

The agreement concerns lenalidomide tablets in the 5-mg, 10-mg, 15-mg and 25-mg strengths. The drug is a generic version of Celgene’s Revlimid, used to treat the plasma cell cancer multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome. Myelodysplastic syndrome results from the bone marrow producing blood cells that are misshapen.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — A biotech drug made by Roche subsidiary Genentech allowed patients with a blood cancer, who did not show symptoms, to delay starting on chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and decreased the risk of their disease worsening, according to results of a late-stage clinical trial.