Celgene said Monday its myelodysplastic syndrome (MS) treatment Vidaza (Ingredient: Azacitidine) gained extended insurance coverage for acute myeloid leukemia on Sept. 1.

Vidaza treats people who can’t have intensive chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for conditions such as MS and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).

Vidaza's expanded standard of health care coverage will also cover primary, secondary, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in adults who are not fit for newly diagnosed HSCT and intensive chemotherapy.

It also includes patients aged 65 years or older, who have primary or secondary AML with poor cytogenetics, not eligible for newly diagnosed HSCT and intensive chemotherapy.

“Although the treatment success rate of AML has significantly improved, there have been calls for new therapies,” said Kim Hee-jae 김희제, the research committee chairman of the AML and MS of the Korean Society of Hematology. “With the expanded health coverage Vidaza is expected to provide the clinical benefits to more patients with AML.”

Celgene 세엘진 showed enthusiasm toward the extended insurance coverage.

“We are pleased to be able to offer new treatment options for the treatment of AML, the most common form of adult acute leukemia,” said Ahn Jung-ryun 안정련, director of Celegen Korea’s medical department.

In a clinical trial, Vidaza significantly increased overall survival versus standard therapy in the treatment of patients with AML and significantly improved mortality.

The results of the trial were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in 2010.

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