Bendamustine - Our Hope for a Cure

The proposed drug that Mat needs is bendamustine. It is not currently recognized by the Canadian government for use, but Mat's profile and history indicate that he is an excellent candidate to receive the drug.

A recent study showed that 75% of patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that were resistant to rituximab responded to treatment with bendamustine.

According to professor Brad S. Kahl of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health: "Although many patients undergo effective initial treatment with rituximab - sometimes in combination with chemotherapy - most will, unfortunately, become refractory or resistant to their treatment over time… Bendamustine, with its unique mode of action, now offers an effective alternative treatment for these patients with proven progression-free survival that could give many patients the opportunity to spend additional quality time with their families."


Bendamustine was first synthesized in Germany in 1963, and is approved for use in Germany, Switzerland and the United States. It is currently undergoing regulatory review in 12 countries across Europe.

For more information on bendamustine and its uses in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, read this article: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170031.php