Filgrastim, a growth factor, is used to aid the recovery of bone marrow after chemotherapy treatment for cancer, especially in patients with neutropenia (low white blood cell count in the blood), causing reduced host defence.

Zarzio, Sandoz’s biosimilar G-CSF product demonstrated in previous clinical trials biosimilarity with the reference product Neupogen (Amgen). This resulted in approval of Zarzio in the EU in February 2009 for the same indications as Neupogen.

The MONITOR-GCSF study is an international, prospective, observational, pharmaco-epidemiological study; which will evaluate the multi-level factors and outcomes associated with the use of Zarzio in the treatment of febrile neutropenia in chemotherapy-treated cancer patients.

Related articles

Development of a new biosimilar filgrastim product (Zarzio)

Phase I studies of a new biosimilar filgrastim product (Zarzio) published

Phase III study of a new biosimilar filgrastim product (Zarzio) published

Reference

Gascón P, Aapro M, Ludwig H, et al. Background and methodology of MONITOR-GCSF, a pharmaco-epidemiological study of the multi-level determinants, predictors, and clinical outcomes of febrile neutropenia prophylaxis with biosimilar granulocyte-colony stimulating factor filgrastim. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2011;77(3):184-97.