New drug is first to treat rare bone marrow disorder

The Food and Drug Administration recently approved azacitidine (Vidaza, Pharmion) for injectable suspension for the treatment of all 5 subtypes of MDS. These subtypes include: refractory anemia, refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts, refractory anemia with excess blasts in transformation, and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Survival rates vary widely for the different MDS subtypes.