FDA Approvals, News & Updates

On January 25, 2022, the FDA accelerated the approval of tebentafusp-tebn (Kimmtrak; Immunocore), a bispecific gp100 peptide-HLA–directed CD3 T-cell engager, for the treatment of adult patients with HLA-A*02:01 unresectable or metastatic uveal (intraocular) melanoma.

On February 28, 2022, the FDA accelerated the approval of pacritinib (Vonjo; CTI BioPharma), a kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of adult patients with intermediate- or high-risk primary or secondary (postpolycythemia vera or postessential thrombocythemia) myelofibrosis with a platelet count below 50 × 109/L.

On March 18, 2022, the FDA approved the combination of 2 distinct immune checkpoint inhibitors, the new LAG-3 antibody relatlimab-rmbw (Opdualag; Bristol Myers Squibb) plus the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab (Opdivo; Bristol Myers Squibb), for patients aged ≥12 years with unresectable or metasta­tic melanoma.

On October 15, 2021, the FDA approved a new indication for atezolizumab (Tecentriq; Genentech) for adjuvant treatment following resection and platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with stage II to IIIA non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have PD-L1 expression on ≥1% of tumor cells, as determined by an FDA-approved test.

On October 29, 2021, the FDA granted accelerated approval to asciminib (Scemblix; Novartis) for the treatment of patients with Philadelphia chromosome–positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase, previously treated with ≥2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

On September 20, 2021, the FDA accelerated the approval of tisotumab vedotin-tftv (Tivdak; Seagen), a tissue factor–directed antibody and microtubule inhibitor conjugate, for the treatment of women with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer whose disease progressed during or after chemotherapy.

On October 12, 2021, the FDA approved a new indication for the cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib (Verzenio; Eli Lilly), in combination with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy, for the treatment of adult patients with hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative, node-positive, early breast cancer at high risk for recurrence, and a Ki-67 score ≥20%, as determined by an FDA-approved test.

On August 10, 2021, the FDA approved the combination of lenvatinib (Lenvima; Eisai) plus pembrolizumab (Keytruda; Merck) for the first-line treatment of adults with advanced renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). The FDA granted this combination a priority review and breakthrough therapy designation.

On August 25, 2021, the FDA approved ivosidenib (Tibsovo; Servier Pharmaceuticals), an oral IDH1 inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with previously treated, locally advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and an IDH1 mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test. The FDA granted ivosidenib a priority review for this indication and an orphan drug designation.

On August 31, 2021, the FDA approved zanubrutinib (Brukinsa; BeiGene), a Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia. Zanubrutinib was previously approved for the treatment of adults with mantle-cell lymphoma.