GC Green Cross "Neutropenia Treatment Effective for Elderly and Patients with Underlying Conditions"

Publication in the International Academic Journal Cancer Patient Management Journal

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] GC Green Cross announced on the 20th that the post-marketing surveillance (PMS) results of Neurapec (active ingredient Pegteograstim), a treatment for neutropenia, demonstrated efficacy in elderly patients aged 65 and older as well as those with underlying diseases. These results were published in the international academic journal Cancer Patient Management.

Neurapec is a second-generation neutropenia treatment independently developed by GC Green Cross and received marketing approval in 2014. It is an anticancer adjuvant that prevents the side effect of decreased neutrophil counts in the body during chemotherapy, which leads to weakened immunity.

This paper contains the analysis results of the efficacy and safety of Neurapec based on 611 patients with hematologic cancers and solid tumors, mainly breast cancer, in South Korea over four years post-marketing. The PMS analysis showed that febrile neutropenia occurred at a rate of 5.1%, which is lower than the 19.6% reported in previous Neurapec Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. Adverse drug reactions (ADR) were observed in 11 patients (1.8%), but only one patient (0.2%) experienced a serious ADR.

The incidence of febrile neutropenia and severe neutropenia showed no difference between patients aged 65 and older with liver and kidney underlying diseases and those under 65 without underlying diseases. Additionally, the PMS results confirmed no direct bone pain after Neurapec administration. Notably, the rate of pain-related adverse reactions such as lower back pain and leg pain in elderly patients aged 65 and older was lower than that in patients under 65. Bone pain is considered an important adverse drug reaction as it not only reduces patients' quality of life but also affects chemotherapy.

A GC Green Cross official stated, “The PMS results of Neurapec are significant as they confirm not only safety but also efficacy and safety in elderly and patients with underlying diseases in real-world settings,” adding, “We expect Neurapec to play a positive role in improving the quality of life for cancer patients.”

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