TOLMAR Pharmaceuticals, Inc., focused on specialty pharmaceutical products, today announced that, effective May 8, 2014, the company holds exclusive distribution rights to ELIGARD® (leuprolide acetate for injectable suspension) in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. ELIGARD is a prescription medication for the palliative treatment (management of symptoms) of advanced prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men after lung cancer. In 2014, 233,000 new U.S. cases will be diagnosed and 29,480 men will die of the disease according to the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/prostate).
ELIGARD is a gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist, designed to reduce the amount of testosterone in the body by reducing its production. It is not a cure for advanced prostate cancer. Testosterone is known to stimulate prostate cancer cells to grow. ELIGARD received marketing clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and launched in the U.S. in 2002.
"We are excited to regain the sales and marketing rights for ELIGARD in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and carry forward the significant history and experience in the urology market long-established by TOLMAR Inc., the company that developed ELIGARD," said Susan Rodriguez, CEO, TOLMAR Pharmaceuticals. "TOLMAR Pharmaceuticals has launched a commercial organization to advance ELIGARD into the future, and is dedicated to supporting healthcare providers and their patients with advanced prostate cancer."
TOLMAR Pharmaceuticals is working to ensure both physicians and patients have a continuity of product supply and unmatched support and patient care services. The company has communicated directly with distributors and prescribing physicians regarding the availability of ELIGARD.
TOLMAR Inc., original developer of the drug, will continue to manufacture ELIGARD for worldwide distribution, maintaining the highest levels of quality standards.
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