FDA Approvals, News & Updates

On October 13, 2023, the FDA approved a new indication for nivolumab (Opdivo; Bristol-Myers Squibb), a PD-1 inhibitor, for the adjuvant treatment of completely resected stage IIB/C melanoma in patients aged ≥12 years. The FDA granted this application an orphan drug designation.

On October 11, 2023, the FDA approved a new indication for encorafenib (Braftovi; Array BioPharma) combined with binimetinib (Mektovi; Array BioPharma) for adults with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a BRAF^V600E mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test.

On October 20, 2023, the FDA accelerated the approval of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor entrectinib (Rozlytrek; Genentech) for the treatment of pediatric patients aged >1 month who are diagnosed with metastatic solid tumors associated with an NTRK gene fusion, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and no known acquired resistance mutation or whose disease is likely to lead to severe morbidity and has progressed after previous treatment, or patients who have no satisfactory standard therapy.

On August 14, 2023, the FDA approved melphalan hydrochloride for injection/Hepatic Delivery System (HDS; Hepzato Kit; Delcath Systems) as a liver-directed treatment for use in adults with uveal melanoma and unresectable hepatic metastases affecting <50% of the liver and no extrahepatic disease, or extrahepatic disease that is limited to the bone, lymph nodes, subcutaneous tissues, or lung that is amenable to resection or radiation.

On August 14, 2023, the FDA accelerated the approval of elranatamab-bcmm (Elrexfio; Pfizer), a bispecific B-cell maturation antigen–directed CD3 T-cell engager, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least 4 previous lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory drug, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.

On August 9, 2023, the FDA accelerated the approval of talquetamab-tgvs (Talvey; Janssen Biotech), a bispecific GPRC5D-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have previously received at least 4 lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory drug, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.

On August 11, 2023, the FDA accelerated the approval of the fixed-dose combination of niraparib and abiraterone acetate (Akeega; Janssen Biotech), with prednisone, for the treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA-mutated, castration-resistant prostate cancer, as determined by an FDA-approved test. The FDA granted this approval priority review.

On August 9, 2023, the FDA granted regular approval to pralsetinib (Gavreto; Genentech), a kinase inhibitor of wild-type RET and oncogenic RET fusions and mutations, for the treatment of adults with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and RET fusion–positive gene mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test.

On June 15, 2023, the FDA accelerated the approval of glofitamab-gxbm (Columvi; Genentech), a bispecific CD20-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified, or large B-cell lymphoma arising from follicular lymphoma after ≥2 lines of systemic therapy.

On May 19, 2023, the FDA accelerated the approval of epcoritamab-bysp (Epkinly; Genmab US), a bispecific CD20-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from indolent lymphoma, or high-grade B-cell lymphoma after ≥2 lines of systemic therapy.