Maintenance therapy seen as lucrative addition
* Rituxan received similar European approval in October
* Showed delays worsening of disease in trials
NEW YORK, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. health regulators have approved cancer drug Rituxan as a maintenance therapy for patients with advanced follicular lymphoma, adding a potentially lucrative new use for the multibillion-dollar medicine for Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) and Biogen Idec Inc (BIIB.O).
Rituxan, which is widely used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, as well as for treating rheumatoid arthritis, is now approved by the Food and Drug Administration to prevent or delay relapses of follicular lymphoma in patients who responded to initial treatment with Rituxan plus chemotherapy.
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