FDA Updates

On May 29, 2020, the FDA approved ramucirumab (Cyramza; Eli Lilly) in combination with erlotinib (Tarceva) for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) mutations. Ramucirumab was previously approved for several types of cancer, including, in combination with docetaxel, for metastatic NSCLC, after platinum-based chemotherapy. Read More ›

On May 26, 2020, the FDA approved nivolumab (Opdivo; BMS) and ipilimumab (Yervoy; BMS) plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic squamous or nonsquamous non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), regardless of PD-L1 expression, and with no EGFR or ALK aberrations. On May 15, the FDA approved nivolumab plus ipilimumab as first-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC with PD-L1 ≥1% expression. Read More ›

On May 29, 2020, the FDA approved the immunotherapy atezolizumab (Tecentriq; Genentech), a PD-L1 inhibitor, in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech), a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have not received systemic therapy. This is the first immunotherapy regimen approved by the FDA for this type of HCC. Read More ›

On May 19, 2020, the FDA approved a new indication for olaparib (Lynparza; AstraZeneca), a PARP inhibitor, for the treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic HRR mutation, as determined by an FDA-approved test, whose disease progressed after enzalutamide (Xtandi) or abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) therapy. Olaparib is the first FDA-approved PARP inhibitor for prostate cancer. Read More ›

On May 18, 2020, the FDA approved a new indication for atezolizumab (Tecentriq; Genentech), a PD-L1 inhibitor, for the first-line treatment of adults with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumor has high PD-L1 expression (PD-L1 stained ≥50% of tumor cells or PD-L1 stained tumor-infiltrating immune cells covering ≥10% of the tumor area), and no EGFR or ALK genomic aberrations, as determined by an FDA-approved test. Read More ›

On May 15, 2020, the FDA approved a new indication for the first immunotherapy combination with the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab (Opdivo; BMS) and the CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab (Yervoy; BMS) as first-line treatment of adults with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and PD-L1 expression of ≥1%, as determined by an FDA-approved test, but without EGFR or ALK genomic alterations. Read More ›

On May 6, 2020, the FDA accelerated the approval of oral capmatinib (Tabrecta; Novartis), a kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Capmatinib is the first agent approved by the FDA for metastatic NSCLC with mutations that lead to MET exon 14 skipping, as determined by the FoundationOne CDx assay, which is approved as a companion diagnostic for capmatinib. Read More ›

On May 8, 2020, the FDA approved selpercatinib (Retevmo; Loxo Oncology) capsules for the treatment of 3 types of cancer associated with RET gene mutations or fusions, including (1) metastatic non–small-cell lung cancer, (2) metastatic medullary thyroid cancer, and (3) other types of thyroid cancers. Selpercatinib is the first therapy approved for patients with cancer that is linked to RET mutations. Read More ›

On May 1, 2020, the FDA approved a new formulation of daratumumab (Darzalex; Janssen Biotech) and hyaluronidase-fihj (Faspro; Janssen Biotech) for the treatment of adults with newly diagnosed or with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. This new formulation allows for the subcutaneous administration of daratumumab as an alternative to its intravenous (IV) administration. The new formulation is approved for the indications previously approved for IV daratumumab. Read More ›

On April 29, 2020, the FDA accelerated the approval of the oral poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor niraparib (Zejula; GlaxoSmithKline) as the first and only drug approved for first-line maintenance therapy of all patients with advanced ovarian cancer—including epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer—who have had a complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Read More ›