CJ Healthcare said Monday it has received approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for Akynzeo, a treatment for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) developed by Helsinn group, a Swiss pharmaceutical company.

The company obtained the drug’s marketing right after signing a license agreement with Helsinn group in 2012

The treatment is the first approved fixed combination oral agent that targets two critical signaling pathways associated with CINV by combining netupitant, an NK1 receptor antagonist, and palonosetron, a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, in a single capsule.

NK1 and 5-HT3 are known to be involved in the central nervous system and peripheral vestibular pathways that induce vomiting during chemotherapy.

Until now, doctors prescribed multiple medications following the classification of the CINV.

Akynzeo, however, has improved convenience for patients as it only requires patients to take one capsule an hour before chemotherapy. The medication also has a long half-life compared to conventional drugs due to the synergy between the two ingredients.

In a research conducted by the company, patients receiving actual chemotherapy had a complete response rate of 90 percent after receiving the medicine for five days.

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and U.S. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) have also updated their guidelines to include the treatment as an agent treating CINV.

“The company expects that Akynzeo will contribute to improving the quality of life for patients suffering from the side effects of chemotherapy,” CJ Healthcare CEO Kang Seok-hee said.

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