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Pemetrexed disodium

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Abstract

In February 2004, pemetrexed disodium (Alimta; Eli Lilly), an anticancer drug that targets folate-dependent reactions that are essential for cell proliferation, became the first drug to be approved by the FDA for the treatment of the rare cancer malignant pleural mesothelioma. Its accelerated approval for the second-line treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer, which will considerably increase its market potential, followed in August 2004.

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Figure 1: Folate metabolism and pemetrexed.
Figure 2: Market for drugs to treat non-small-cell lung cancer in US $ million.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery,

    Clair Gricks & Peter Kirkpatrick

  2. Decision Resources International, 50–51 Russell Square, London, WC1B 4HQ, UK

    Mohamed Muhsin

Authors
  1. Mohamed Muhsin
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  2. Clair Gricks
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  3. Peter Kirkpatrick
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Correspondence to Mohamed Muhsin.

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Muhsin, M., Gricks, C. & Kirkpatrick, P. Pemetrexed disodium. Nat Rev Drug Discov 3, 825–826 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrd1528

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