Oncopeptides receives first order of Pepaxti in Italy

Oncopeptides AB today announces that it has received the first order of its flagship drug Pepaxti (melflufen) from an Italian hospital.

Following the positive reimbursement decision and publication in the Gazzetta Ufficiale, Pepaxti has now entered the Italian healthcare system. This allows hospitals to, in certain cases, order the product even before full regional access has been finalized.

“The speed at which Pepaxti has moved from regulatory approval to first patient treatment in Italy is a testament to the high unmet need for new options in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma,” says Sofia Heigis, CEO of Oncopeptides. “Italy has played a key role in the clinical development of Pepaxti, and we are pleased to see physicians and patients now gaining access to this important treatment so quickly.”

Italy has a strong foundation of clinical experience with Pepaxti, with 79 patients across 10 hospitals participating in its clinical trials and over 80 patients treated in the Early Access Program (EAP) before formal reimbursement. The country has an estimated 6,000 new cases of multiple myeloma annually, with approximately 1,800 patients within Pepaxti’s target population.

Oncopeptides is currently expanding its team in Italy and investing in regional access along with awareness and education initiatives to support the launch of Pepaxti.