Johnson & Johnson’s medicine has been approved for blood cancer therapy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a medicine (teclistamab) produced by Johnson & Johnson for therapy of multiple myeloma, or the type of blood cancer. Prior to this, the medicine has already been conditionally approved by the European drug regulator in August.

J&J's teclistamab is a first medicine of its class approved for multiple myeloma therapy. It’s aimed at immune system redirection to fight cancer cells. The drug will be produced under Tecvayli trademark. To this moment, it has a range of certain contradictions, and its usage is limited by therapy for adults only.

According to the company’s official representative, Tecvayli’s therapy will become available within the first week of November. The medicine’s price per month will be $39,500, while the whole therapy course for 9-10 month will cost around $355,000 - $395,000.

Besides Tecvayli, there are some other medicines approved for blood cancer therapy. For example, Abecma produced by Bristol-Myers Squibb or GSK Plc’s Blenrep. However, these drugs have demonstrated a high probability of relapse after the completion of therapy, thereby leaving demand for specialized treatment of this disease as well as development of new medicines unclosed.