About Dendreon and Immunotherapy for Cancer

Pioneering the future of immunotherapy

Founded on the belief that immunotherapy made from a patient’s own cells will transform cancer treatment, Dendreon is fighting for patients by making the battle against cancer personal. By harnessing the power of the body’s immune system, we help extend the lives of patients battling cancer.

Our flagship product, PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T), was the first FDA-approved immunotherapy made from a patient’s own immune cells. Since its approval in 2010, nearly 40,000 men with advanced prostate cancer have been prescribed PROVENGE. Today, we continue to push our research forward so that we may help even more patients fight cancer with personalized immunotherapy.

Our Mission

Making the battle against cancer personal through immunotherapy treatments that extend lives.

Our Commitment

In the fight against cancer, our patients aren’t giving up, and neither are we. We aim to extend life without reducing quality of life. This commitment — to patients, families, and the physicians who treat them — drives all that we do.

Dedicated to Patients

Making the fight against cancer personal, with immunotherapy created from a patient’s own immune cells

Providing immunotherapy treatments that are clinically proven to help extend life, with a generally well tolerated safety profile

Offering services and support that improve treatment access

Supporting Clinical Practices

Partnering with physicians, nurses, and clinicians as they continue to realize the full potential of immunotherapy

Helping urologists identify patients who will get the most out of immunotherapy

Focused on the Future

Expanding access to PROVENGE for more patients, in the United States and around the world

Investigating in earlier-stage treatment of prostate cancer with PROVENGE, with the goal of helping even more patients

Exploring the use of personalized immunotherapy to treat other cancer types

Our History
1992
  • Inspired by their research at Stanford School of Medicine, Edgar Engleman and Samuel Strober establish Activated Cell Therapy.
1993
  • Activated Cell Therapy opens its first R&D facility.
1995
  • The Antigen Delivery Cassette is developed, which will become the basis of the Active Cellular Immunotherapy platform.
1997
  • Activated Cell Therapy changes its name to Dendreon.
1999
  • Dendreon moves its headquarters to Seattle, Washington.
2000
  • Dendreon enters the NASDAQ with an IPO of $45 million to fund trials and preclinical activities for therapeutic cancer vaccines.
2001
  • Dendreon is awarded a US patent (No. 6,210,662) for the composition of sipuleucel-T.
2003
  • Phase III IMPACT study evaluating sipuleucel-T in men with advanced prostate cancer begins.
  • Study results eventually serve as the basis for US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
2006
  • Dendreon completes Biologics License Application (BLA) submission to the FDA — the first BLA for an active cellular immunotherapy for cancer.
2007
  • The FDA’s Advisory Committee votes in favor of the safety and efficacy of PROVENGE, advancing sipuleucel-T toward FDA approval.
  • Patients and advocates rally for PROVENGE after the FDA requests additional efficacy data.
2009
  • Dendreon completes Phase III IMPACT clinical trial and reports positive topline results.
2010
  • Dendreon receives FDA approval for sipuleucel-T (PROVENGE), the first FDA-approved immunotherapy made from a patient’s own immune cells.
  • Commercial manufacturing of PROVENGE begins in Morris Plains, New Jersey.
  • The New England Journal of Medicine publishes results of the IMPACT trial demonstrating that PROVENGE extends median overall survival for men with advanced prostate cancer by 4.1 months.
2011
  • The FDA approves PROVENGE manufacturing sites in Seal Beach, California and Union City, Georgia.
2013
  • More than 10,000 men prescribed PROVENGE.
2014
  • The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommends PROVENGE for first-line use in patients with M1 CRPC.
2015
  • Valeant Pharmaceuticals acquires Dendreon for $495 million.
  • More than 20,000 men prescribed PROVENGE.
2016
  • Dendreon delivers first profitable year since its inception.
2017
  • Dendreon resumes operations as a standalone company following acquisition by Sanpower Group for $819.9 million.
  • Dendreon reports its most profitable year in the company’s history.
2018
  • Over 30,000 men prescribed PROVENGE.
2020
  • Dendreon celebrates 10th anniversary of the FDA's approval of PROVENGE.
Corporate Governance

Our patients, their families, and the physicians who treat them are counting on us to conduct business with honesty and integrity. We value our relationship with our employees, partners, contractors, vendors, and the communities in which we operate and hold ourselves to a high ethical standard. Dendreon follows all relevant laws, regulations, guidelines, and codes concerning the pharmaceutical industry.

Our Science

Our research led the way in making personalized immunotherapy a reality.

Learn More

important safety information

INDICATION

PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T) is a prescription medicine that is used to treat certain patients with advanced prostate cancer. PROVENGE is made from your own immune cells.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

  • Before getting PROVENGE, tell your doctor about all your medical problems, including problems with your heart or lungs, or if you have had a stroke
  • Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements
  • PROVENGE is made from your own immune cells, collected approximately 3 days before each scheduled infusion of PROVENGE. The collection is called "leukapheresis" (pronounced loo-kuh-fuh-REE-sis). You will get PROVENGE in 3 intravenous infusions (put into your veins), about 2 weeks apart. Each infusion takes about 60 minutes. You will then be monitored for at least 30 minutes. Your doctor will give you a schedule for your cell collection and infusion appointments. It is very important that you arrive on time for your appointments
  • The most common side effects of PROVENGE include chills, fatigue, fever, back pain, nausea, joint ache, and headache. These are not all the possible side effects of PROVENGE treatment
  • PROVENGE infusion can cause serious reactions. Tell your doctor right away if you:
    • Have breathing problems, chest pains, racing heart or irregular heartbeats, high or low blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, nausea, or vomiting after getting PROVENGE. Any of these may be signs of heart or lung problems
    • Develop numbness or weakness on one side of the body, decreased vision in one eye, or difficulty speaking. Any of these may be signs of a stroke
    • Develop symptoms of thrombosis which may include: pain and/or swelling of an arm or leg with warmth over the affected area, discoloration of an arm or leg, unexplained shortness of breath, chest pain that worsens on deep breathing
    • Get a fever over 100℉, or redness or pain at the infusion or collections sites. Any of these may be signs of infection
  • Tell your doctor about any side effect that concerns you or does not go away. For more information, talk with your doctor

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatchor call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Click here for full Prescribing Information.