What Cyramza® is?
Cyramza contains the active substance ramucirumab, which is a monoclonal antibody. This is a specialised protein that can recognise and attach to another protein found on blood vessels called ‘VEGF receptor 2’. This receptor is needed in the development of new blood vessels. To grow, cancer needs new blood vessels to develop. By attaching to ‘VEGF receptor 2’ and blocking it the medicine cuts off the blood supply to the cancer cells.
What is this medicine intended for?
Cyramza is a medicine for the treatment of cancer:
- Cyramza is given in combination with paclitaxel, for the treatment of advanced stomach cancer (or cancer of the junction between the oesophagus and the stomach) in adults whose disease has worsened after prior treatment with chemotherapy (platinum and fluoropyrimidine).
- Cyramza is given as a monotherapy for the treatment of advanced stomach cancer (or cancer of the junction between the oesophagus and the stomach) in adults whose disease has worsened after prior treatment with chemotherapy (platinum or fluoropyrimidine), for whom treatment of Cyramza in combination with paclitaxel is not suitable.
- Cyramza is given to treat metastatic colon or rectum cancer in adults, whose disease has worsened, on or after prior treatment with oxaliplatin, bevacizumab, and a fluoropyrimidine. This treatment is administered in combination with other medicines called “FOLFIRI chemotherapy”, including 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid, and irinotecan.
- Cyramza is given in combination with docetaxel, for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has worsened after platinumbased chemotherapy