Roche says EU panel backs lymphatic cancer drug for approval

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss drug company Roche said on Friday a European Union committee recommended its MabThera subcutaneous treatment for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Roche said the opinion of the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) was based primarily on data from a phase III study, with a final decision from the European Commission expected in coming months. The Commission generally follows committee recommendations, though it is not obliged to. MabThera is a treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, and is currently delivered by an intravenous infusion which takes 2-1/2 hours to complete. In contrast, the new MabThera subcutaneous formulation can be delivered over approximately five minutes, Roche said. (Reporting by Alice Baghdjian)