Genzyme aims to sell thyroid test as treatment

Genzyme aims to file for marketing approval this year for a therapy to reduce the side-effects of thyroid cancer treatment.

The therapy, Thyrogen, is currently sold as a tool to diagnose thyroid cancer. Now the company plans to market it as a treatment that could make it easier for patients to tolerate the period following surgery.

Patients with thyroid cancer typically have the gland removed. They are then put on thyroid replacement therapy. Without the hormone produced by the thyroid patients can suffer severe fatigue, weight gain, mental confusion and other abnormalities.

Several weeks after surgery, patients typically need to go back to have any remnants of the cancer removed through the administration of radioactive iodine. But the tissue can only take up the iodine if patients have not been taking thyroid replacement therapy for several weeks.

Genzyme's drug appears to allow patients to stay on their thyroid therapy without interfering with the ability of the radioactive iodine to remove any remaining remnants of cancerous tissue.

As a diagnostic, Thyrogen had sales of US$43.4 million in 2003. The company expects it to generate between US$48 million and US$52 million this year.