Helsinn
Helsinn is a Swiss family-owned company focused on supportive cancer care: the antiemetics Aloxi and Akynzeo, and the topical nitrogen mustard Valchlor for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Overview
Helsinn developed palonosetron (Aloxi) and the netupitant/palonosetron fixed combination (Akynzeo) for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and acquired Valchlor (mechlorethamine gel) for mycosis fungoides. It licenses products to partners such as Eisai in the US and Recordati in Europe.
Scorecard
All companies- approved products +18
- modalities +4
- regions +2
- registry trials +30
Mechlorethamine, or nitrogen mustard, was the first chemotherapy ever used, in 1940s Hodgkin lymphoma. Today its main use is as a skin gel (Valchlor in the US, Ledaga in Europe) for early cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
Akynzeo combines two anti-sickness drugs in one capsule or infusion taken once before chemotherapy, so a single dose plus dexamethasone protects against both immediate and delayed vomiting.
Palonosetron (Aloxi) is a long-acting anti-sickness injection given once before chemotherapy; a single dose covers both the first day and the delayed nausea that follows.