FDA Approvals, News & Updates

On March 20, 2018, the FDA approved a new indication for brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris; Seattle Genetics) as a first-line treatment, in combination with chemotherapy, for adults with untreated stage III or stage IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma. The FDA approved this indication using its priority review process and designated brentuximab vedotin as a breakthrough therapy.

On March 29, 2018, the FDA accelerated the approval of a new indication for blinatumomab (Blincyto; Amgen) for the treatment of patients with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) whose disease was in remission but was at risk for relapse because of minimal residual disease (MRD). The FDA granted blinatumomab orphan drug status for this indication.

On April 6, 2018, rucaparib (Rubraca; Clovis Oncology), a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, received a new indication by the FDA for the maintenance treatment of patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who achieved complete or partial response with platinum-based chemotherapy.

On April 18, 2018, the FDA approved osimertinib (Tagrisso; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals) as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and EGFR exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The FDA used its priority review process, and designated osimertinib as a breakthrough therapy for this indication.

In ovarian epithelial cancer, fallopian tube cancer, and primary peritoneal cancer, malignant cells form in the tissue covering the ovary or lining the fallopian tube or peritoneum. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2017 more than 22,000 women in the United States were estimated to be diagnosed with these cancers and more than 14,000 to die from them.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), a form of cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in adults. In the United States, approximately 72,000 new cases of NHL are diagnosed annually; more than 20,000 people were estimated to die from the disease in 2017.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare but deadly cancer. Approximately 21,400 new cases of AML were diagnosed in 2017 in the United States, and nearly 10,600 people died from the disease. Approximately 60% to 70% of adults with AML respond to initial treatment with cytotoxic chemotherapy. However, the 5-year survival rate for patients with AML remains poor at approximately 27%.

Breast cancer affects more women than any other type of cancer, and represents 15% of all new cancer cases in the United States. A total of 252,710 new breast cancer cases were estimated to be diagnosed in 2017, and more than 40,600 deaths. The prognosis worsens for patients with locally advanced breast cancer and even more so for those with metastatic disease.

Urothelial carcinoma is the most common subtype of bladder cancer, accounting for more than 90% of bladder cancer diagnoses in the United States. In 2017, more than 79,000 bladder cancer cases were diagnosed in the United States, and more than 16,000 people died from this disease. The prognosis is favorable for patients with localized disease, with a 5-year relative survival rate of 78% for all stages of bladder cancer, which decreases to 5% for patients with distant disease.

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow that often leads to bone destruction and bone marrow failure. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 30,280 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed in 2017, and 12,590 deaths will be attributed to the disease. In the past 20 years, mortality rates associated with multiple myeloma have declined. Novel therapies, as well as improvements in autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) procedures and supportive care, have contributed to extended survival for patients with this malignancy.