Biotech company Q BioMed has debuted a new therapeutic radiopharmaceutical to treat cancer-related pain.
Strontium89 is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-cleared strontium chloride Sr‑89 injection designed to relieve pain associated with cancer that has metastasized to bone. Q BioMed will begin delivering orders of the drug to hospitals this month, with full production beginning in March.
Strontium89. Image courtesy of Q BioMed.In multicenter trials, the company reported one injection of Strontium89 worked better than a placebo for patients with persistent pain after external-beam radiation therapy for bone metastases. A higher percentage of patients who received Strontium89 showed pain scores of 0, and the pain relief lasted two to five months for most patients.
Bone marrow toxicity can be expected after Strontium89 injection, and it is not recommended for patients with seriously compromised bone marrow. The company advised monitoring patients' blood cell counts at least once every two weeks.
