Amgen announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has granted marketing approval for BLINCYTO® (blinatumomab) for the treatment of certain forms of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
BLINCYTO is a bispecific antibody that helps the body’s immune system target cells of B cell lineage. It connects B cells expressing the CD19 antigen to T cells via their CD3 receptor inducing them to kill B cells. The technology is based on intellectual property of the Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association. Originally developed by the Munich start-up Micromet, which was subsequently acquired by Amgen, BLINCYTO is the first and only approved immunotherapy from Amgen’s BiTE® platform.
BLINCYTO is also approved for certain ALL indications in the US and Europe.
Further information:
See Amgen's press release
