In cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and as a service to our members, NNECOS will periodically distribute information about newly approved therapies for cancer patients.  This helps FDA to inform oncologists and professionals in oncology-related fields of recent approvals in a timely manner.  Please note the link to the FDA information providing relevant clinical information, contraindications, dosing, and safety.  In providing this information, NNECOS does not endorse any product or therapy and does not take any position on the safety or efficacy of the product or therapy described. If you have questions about billing or reimbursement for these drugs, we recommend that you visit our Regional Reimbursement Page to contact a representative of the manufacturer for assistance.

FDA grants accelerated approval to pembrolizumab for HER2-positive gastric cancer

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck & Co.) in combination with trastuzumab, fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2 positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma. May 5, 2021. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-pembrolizumab-her2-positive-gastric-cancer

FDA grants accelerated approval to loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl for large B-cell lymphoma

On April 23, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl (Zynlonta, ADC Therapeutics SA), a CD19-directed antibody and alkylating agent conjugate, for adult patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and high-grade B-cell lymphoma.

More Information: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-loncastuximab-tesirine-lpyl-large-b-cell-lymphoma

FDA grants accelerated approval to dostarlimab-gxly for dMMR endometrial cancer

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to dostarlimab-gxly (Jemperli, GlaxoSmithKline LLC) for adult patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer, as determined by an FDA-approved test, that has progressed on or following a prior platinum-containing regimen.April 22, 2021.  More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-dostarlimab-gxly-dmmr-endometrial-cancer

FDA approves nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma

Food and Drug Administration approved nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, and esophageal adenocarcinoma.  April 16, 2021.  More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-nivolumab-combination-chemotherapy-metastatic-gastric-cancer-and-esophageal

FDA grants accelerated approval to sacituzumab govitecan for advanced urothelial cancer

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy, Immunomedics Inc.) for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) who previously received a platinum-containing chemotherapy and either a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) or a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor. April 13, 2021.  More information

FDA grants regular approval to sacituzumab govitecan for triple-negative breast cancer

Food and Drug Administration granted regular approval to sacituzumab govitecan (Trodelvy, Immunomedics Inc.) for patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) who have received two or more prior systemic therapies, at least one of them for metastatic disease. April 7, 2021. More information

FDA approves new dosing regimen for cetuximab

Food and Drug Administration approved a new dosage regimen of 500 mg/m2 as a 120-minute intravenous infusion every two weeks (Q2W) for cetuximab (Erbitux, ImClone LLC) for patients with K-Ras wild-type, EGFR-expressing colorectal cancer (mCRC) or squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). April 6, 2021.  More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-new-dosing-regimen-cetuximab

FDA approves isatuximab-irfc for multiple myeloma

Food and Drug Administration approved isatuximab-irfc (Sarclisa, sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC) in combination with carfilzomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received one to three prior lines of therapy.  March 31, 2021. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-isatuximab-irfc-multiple-myeloma

FDA approves idecabtagene vicleucel for multiple myeloma

Food and Drug Administration approved idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma, Bristol Myers Squibb) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. This is the first FDA-approved cell-based gene therapy for multiple myeloma. March 26, 2021. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-idecabtagene-vicleucel-multiple-myeloma

FDA approves pembrolizumab for esophageal or GEJ carcinoma

Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.) in combination with platinum and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for patients with metastatic or locally advanced esophageal or gastroesophageal (GEJ) (tumors with epicenter 1 to 5 centimeters above the gastroesophageal junction) carcinoma who are not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation.  March 22, 2021. More information: 

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-pembrolizumab-esophageal-or-gej-carcinoma?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govd

FDA approves tivozanib for relapsed or refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma

Food and Drug Administration approved tivozanib (Fotivda, AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), a kinase inhibitor, for adult patients with relapsed or refractory advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) following two or more prior systemic therapies. . March 10, 2021. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-tivozanib-relapsed-or-refractory-advanced-renal-cell-carcinoma

Oncology Drugs Update

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta, Kite Pharma, Inc.) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. More Information. March 5, 2021

FDA approves lorlatinib for metastatic ALK-positive NSCLC

Food and Drug Administration granted regular approval to lorlatinib (Lorbrena, Pfizer Inc.) for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive, detected by an FDA-approved test. March 3, 2021. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-lorlatinib-metastatic-alk-positive-nsclc

FDA grants accelerated approval to melphalan flufenamide for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to melphalan flufenamide (Pepaxto, Oncopeptides AB) in combination with dexamethasone for adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of therapy and whose disease is refractory to at least one proteasome inhibitor, one immunomodulatory agent, and one CD-38 directed monoclonal antibody. Efficacy was evaluated in HORIZON (NCT02963493), a multicenter, single-arm trial. Eligible patients were required to have relapsed refractory multiple myeloma. Patients received melphalan flufenamide 40 mg intravenously on day 1 and dexamethasone 40 mg orally (20 mg for patients ≥75 years of age) on day 1, 8, 15 and 22 of each 28-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. February 26, 2021 More Information. 

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-melphalan-flufenamide-relapsed-or-refractory-multiple-myeloma

FDA approves cemiplimab-rwlc for non-small cell lung cancer with high PD-L1 expression

Food and Drug Administration approved cemiplimab-rwlc (Libtayo, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (locally advanced who are not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation or metastatic) whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression (Tumor Proportion Score [TPS] > 50%) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR, ALK or ROS1 aberrations.  February 22, 2021 More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-cemiplimab-rwlc-non-small-cell-lung-cancer-high-pd-l1-expression

FDA Approves Drug to Reduce Bone Marrow Suppression Caused by Chemotherapy

Food and Drug Administration approved Cosela (trilaciclib) as the first therapy in its class to reduce the frequency of chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression in adults receiving certain types of chemotherapy for extensive-stage (when the cancer has spread beyond the lungs) small cell lung cancer. Cosela may help protect bone marrow cells from damage caused by chemotherapy by inhibiting cyclin- dependent kinase 4/6, a type of enzyme. February 12, 2021. More information:

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-drug-reduce-bone-marrow-suppression-caused-chemotherapy

FDA approves cemiplimab-rwlc for locally advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinoma

Food and Drug Administration approved cemiplimab-rwlc for locally advanced and metastatic basal cell carcinoma. February 9, 2021. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-cemiplimab-rwlc-locally-advanced-and-metastatic-basal-cell-carcinoma

FDA approves lisocabtagene maraleucel for relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma

Food and Drug Administration approved lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi, Juno Therapeutics, Inc.) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified (including DLBCL arising from indolent lymphoma), high-grade B-cell lymphoma, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma grade 3B. February 5, 2021. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-lisocabtagene-maraleucel-relapsed-or-refractory-large-b-cell-lymphoma

FDA grants accelerated approval to umbralisib for marginal zone lymphoma and follicular lymphoma

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to umbralisib (Ukoniq, TG Therapeutics), a kinase inhibitor including PI3K-delta and casein kinase CK1-epsilon, for the following indications:

• Adult patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) who have received at least one prior anti-CD20-based regimen;
• Adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who have received at least three prior lines of systemic therapy. More Information February 5, 2021

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-umbralisib-marginal-zone-lymphoma-and-follicular-lymphoma

FDA grants accelerated approval to tepotinib for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to tepotinib (Tepmetko, EMD Serono Inc.) for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) exon 14 skipping alterations. More Information. February 3, 2021

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-tepotinib-metastatic-non-small-cell-lung-cancer

FDA approves nivolumab plus cabozantinib for advanced renal cell carcinoma

Food and Drug Administration approved the combination of nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) and cabozantinib (Cabometyx, Exelixis) as first-line treatment for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).  January 22, 2021.  More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-nivolumab-plus-cabozantinib-advanced-renal-cell-carcinoma

FDA grants accelerated approval to Darzalex Faspro for newly diagnosed light chain amyloidosis

On January 15, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to daratumumab plus hyaluronidase (Darzalex Faspro, Janssen Biotech Inc.) in combination with bortezomib, cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone for newly diagnosed light chain (AL) amyloidosis.

More Information: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-darzalex-faspro-newly-diagnosed-light-chain-amyloidosis

FDA approves fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki for HER2-positive gastric adenocarcinomas

On January 15, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (Enhertu, Daiichi Sankyo) for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal (GEJ) adenocarcinoma who have received a prior trastuzumab-based regimen.

More information: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki-her2-positive-gastric-adenocarcinomas

FDA approves crizotinib for children and young adults with relapsed orrefractory, systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma

On January 14, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved crizotinib (Xalkori, Pfizer Inc.) for pediatric patients 1 year of age and older and young adults with relapsed or refractory, systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) that is ALK-positive. The safety and efficacy of crizotinib have not been established in older adults with relapsed or refractory, systemic ALK-positive ALCL. More Information: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-crizotinib-children-and-young-adults-relapsed-or-refractory-systemic-anaplastic-large

FDA approves a new indication for TAGRISSO® (osimertinib)

Food and Drug Administration approved osimertinib (TAGRISSO, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP) for adjuvant therapy after tumor resection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. More information. December 18, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-osimertinib-adjuvant-therapy-non-small-cell-lung-cancer-egfr-mutations?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

FDA approves selinexor for refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma

Food and Drug Administration approved selinexor (XPOVIO, Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.) in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. More information. December 18, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-selinexor-refractory-or-relapsed-multiple-myeloma?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

FDA approves relugolix for advanced prostate cancer

Food and Drug Administration approved the first oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist, relugolix, (ORGOVYX, Myovant Sciences, Inc.) for adult patients with advanced prostate cancer. More information. December 18, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-relugolix-advanced-prostate-cancer?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

FDA approves pralsetinib for RET-altered thyroid cancers

Food and Drug Administration approved pralsetinib (GAVRETO, Blueprint Medicines Corporation) for adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) who require systemic therapy or RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory (if radioactive iodine is appropriate). December 1, 2020. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-pralsetinib-ret-altered-thyroid-cancers

FDA approves device for treatment of osteoid osteoma in the extremities

Food and Drug Administration approved the Sonalleve MR-HIFU system (Profound Medical Inc.) for the treatment of osteoid osteoma in the extremities. November 27, 2020. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-device-treatment-osteoid-osteoma-extremities

FDA grants accelerated approval to naxitamab for high-risk neuroblastoma in bone or bone marrow

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to naxitamab (DANYELZA, Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Inc.) in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for pediatric patients one year of age and older and adult patients with relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma in the bone or bone marrow demonstrating a partial response, minor response, or stable disease to prior therapy.  November 24, 2020. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-naxitamab-high-risk-neuroblastoma-bone-or-bone-marrow

FDA grants accelerated approval to pembrolizumab for locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic triple negative breast cancer

FDA grants accelerated approval to pembrolizumab for locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic triple negative breast cancer. November 13, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-pembrolizumab-locally-recurrent-unresectable-or-metastatic-tripleFDA approves liquid biopsy NGS companion diagnostic test for multiple cancers and biomarkers

Food and Drug Administration approved the liquid biopsy next-generation sequencing-based FoundationOne Liquid CDx test (Foundation Medicine, Inc.) as a companion diagnostic device for multiple additional biomarkers detected in cell free-DNA isolated from plasma specimens.  October 26, 2020 and November 6, 2020. More Information:

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-approves-liquid-biopsy-ngs-companion-diagnostic-test-multiple-cancers-and-biomarkers

FDA grants regular approval to venetoclax in combination for untreated acute myeloid leukemia

On October 16, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration granted regular approval to venetoclax (VENCLEXTA ®, AbbVie Inc. and Genentech Inc.) in combination with azacitidine, decitabine, or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) for newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults 75 years or older, or who have comorbidities precluding intensive induction chemotherapy.

Venetoclax was initially granted accelerated approval for this indication in November 2018.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-regular-approval-venetoclax-combination-untreated-acute-myeloid-leukemia

FDA approves pralsetinib for lung cancer with RET gene fusions

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to pralsetinib (GAVRETOTM, Blueprint Medicines Corporation) for adult patients with metastatic RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA approved test. More information. September 4, 2020.

FDA approves Onureg (azacitidine tablets) for acute myeloid leukemia

On September 1, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved azacitidine tablets (ONUREG®, Celgene Corporation) for continued treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia who achieved first complete remission (CR) or complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi) following intensive induction chemotherapy and are not able to complete intensive curative therapy. More information.

FDA approved belantamab mafodotin-blmf

Food and Drug Administration approved belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep, GlaxoSmithKline) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least 4 prior therapies, including an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, a proteasome inhibitor, and an immunomodulatory agent. More Information. August 5, 2020.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-granted-accelerated-approval-belantamab-mafodotin-blmf-multiple-myeloma

FDA granted accelerated approval to tafasitamab-cxix

FDA granted accelerated approval to tafasitamab-cxix (MONJUVI, MorphoSys US Inc.), a CD19-directed cytolytic antibody, indicated in combination with lenalidomide for adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant. July 31, 2020. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-tafasitamab-cxix-diffuse-large-b-cell-lymphoma

FDA approves atezolizumab for BRAF V600 unresectable or metastatic melanoma

Food and Drug Administration approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq, Genentech, Inc.) in combination with cobimetinib and vemurafenib for patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma. More Information. July 30, 2020.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-atezolizumab-braf-v600-unresectable-or-metastatic-melanoma

FDA granted accelerated approval to brexucabtagene autoleucel

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to brexucabtagene autoleucel (TECARTUS, Kite, a Gilead Company), a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). More Information. July 24, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-approves-brexucabtagene-autoleucel-relapsed-or-refractory-mantle-cell-lymphoma

FDA approved approved an oral combination of decitabine and cedazuridine

Food and Drug Administration approved an oral combination of decitabine and cedazuridine (INQOVI, Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for adult patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) including the following: More Information. July 7, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-oral-combination-decitabine-and-cedazuridine-myelodysplastic-syndromes

FDA approved avelumab for UC

Food and Drug Administration approved avelumab (BAVENCIO, EMD Serono, Inc.) for maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) that has not progressed with first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy. More Information. June 30, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-avelumab-urothelial-carcinoma-maintenance-treatment

FDA approved approved pembrolizumab colorectal cancer

Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co.) for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer. More Information. June 29, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-pembrolizumab-first-line-treatment-msi-hdmmr-colorectal-cancer

FDA approved a new fixed-dose combination of pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and hyaluronidase–zzxf

Food and Drug Administration approved a new fixed-dose combination of pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and hyaluronidase–zzxf (PHESGO, Genentech, Inc.) More Information. June 29, 2020.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-combination-pertuzumab-trastuzumab-and-hyaluronidase-zzxf-her2-positive-breast-cancer

FDA approved pembrolizumab for patients with recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) that is not curable by surgery or radiation

Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co., Inc.) for patients with recurrent or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) that is not curable by surgery or radiation More Information. June 24, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-pembrolizumab-cutaneous-squamous-cell-carcinoma

FDA approves selinexor for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to selinexor (XPOVIO, Karyopharm Therapeutics) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma, after at least 2 lines of systemic therapy. More Information. June 22, 2020

FDA granted accelerated approval to tazemetostat for follicular lymphoma

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to tazemetostat (TAZVERIK, Epizyme, Inc.), an EZH2 inhibitor, for adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) whose tumors are positive for an EZH2 mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test and who have received at least 2 prior systemic therapies, and for adult patients with R/R FL who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. More Information. June 18, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-granted-accelerated-approval-tazemetostat-follicular-lymphoma

FDA approves pembrolizumab for adults and children with TMB-H solid tumors

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co., Inc.) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic tumor mutational burden-high (TMB H) [≥10 mutations/megabase (mut/Mb)] solid tumors, as determined by an FDA-approved test, that have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. More Information. June 16, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-pembrolizumab-adults-and-children-tmb-h-solid-tumors

FDA extended the indication of gemtuzumab ozogamicin

Food and Drug Administration extended the indication of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (MYLOTARGTM, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC) for newly-diagnosed CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to include pediatric patients 1 month and older. More Information. June 16, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-gemtuzumab-ozogamicin-cd33-positive-aml-pediatric-patients

FDA approved lurbinectedin (ZEPZELCA) for SCLC

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to lurbinectedin (ZEPZELCA, Pharma Mar S.A.) for adult patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. More Information. June 15, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-lurbinectedin-metastatic-small-cell-lung-cancer

FDA approved nivolumab (OPDIVO) for patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC)

Food and Drug Administration approved nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after prior fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based chemotherapy. More Information. June 10, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-nivolumab-esophageal-squamous-cell-carcinoma

FDA approved ramucirumab in combo with erlotinib 

Food and Drug Administration approved ramucirumab (CYRAMZA, Eli Lilly and Company) in combination with erlotinib for first-line treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) mutations. More Information. May 29, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-ramucirumab-plus-erlotinib-first-line-metastatic-nsclc

FDA approved atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab

Food and Drug Administration approved atezolizumab in combination with bevacizumab (TECENTRIQ and AVASTIN, Genentech Inc.) for patients with unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma who have not received prior systemic therapy. More Information. May 29, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-atezolizumab-plus-bevacizumab-unresectable-hepatocellular-carcinoma

FDA approved nivolumab plus ipilimumab and chemotherapy for first-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC

Food and Drug Administration approved the combination of nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) plus ipilimumab (YERVOY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genomic tumor aberrations. More Information. May 26, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-nivolumab-plus-ipilimumab-and-chemotherapy-first-line-treatment-metastatic-nsclc

FDA approved brigatinib

Food and Drug Administration approved brigatinib (Takeda Pharmaceuticals) for adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test. May 22, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-brigatinib-alk-positive-metastatic-nsclc

FDA approved olaparib

Food and Drug Administration approved olaparib (LYNPARZA, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP) for adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), who have progressed following prior treatment with enzalutamide or abiraterone. More Information. May 19, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-olaparib-hrr-gene-mutated-metastatic-castration-resistant-prostate-cancer

FDA approves atezolizumab for first-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC with high PD-L1 expression

Food and Drug Administration approved atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®, Genentech Inc.) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression (PD-L1 stained ≥ 50% of tumor cells [TC ≥ 50%] or PD-L1 stained tumor-infiltrating immune cells [IC] covering ≥ 10% of the tumor area [IC ≥ 10%]), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. More information. May 18, 2020

FDA approved ripretinib

Food and Drug Administration approved ripretinib (QINLOCK, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, LLC.), for adult patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) who have received prior treatment with 3 or more kinase inhibitors, including imatinib. May 15, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-ripretinib-advanced-gastrointestinal-stromal-tumor

FDA grants accelerated approval to rucaparib for BRCA-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to rucaparib (RUBRACA, Clovis Oncology, Inc.) for patients with deleterious BRCA mutation (germline and/or somatic)-associated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who have been treated with androgen receptor-directed therapy and a taxane-based chemotherapy. May 15, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-rucaparib-brca-mutated-metastatic-castration-resistant-prostate

FDA approves nivolumab plus ipilimumab for first-line mNSCLC (PD-L1 tumor expression ≥1%)

Food and Drug Administration approved the combination of nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) plus ipilimumab (YERVOY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors express PD-L1(≥1%), as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genomic tumor aberrations. May 15, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-nivolumab-plus-ipilimumab-first-line-mnsclc-pd-l1-tumor-expression-1

FDA grants accelerated approval to pomalidomide for Kaposi sarcoma

ood and Drug Administration expanded the indication of pomalidomide (POMALYST, Celgene Corporation) to include treating adult patients with AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma after failure of highly active antiretroviral therapy and Kaposi sarcoma in adult patients who are HIV-negative. May 14, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-pomalidomide-kaposi-sarcoma

FDA expanded the indication of olaparib to include its combination with bevacizumab

Food and Drug Administration expanded the indication of olaparib (LYNPARZA®, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP) to include its combination with bevacizumab for first-line maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and whose cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency positive status defined by either a deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA mutation, and/or genomic instability.May 8, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-olaparib-plus-bevacizumab-maintenance-treatment-ovarian-fallopian-tube-or-primary

FDA granted accelerated approval to selpercatinib

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to selpercatinib (RETEVMO, Eli Lilly and Company) for the following indications: • Adult patients with metastatic RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); • Adult and pediatric patients ≥12 years of age with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) who require systemic therapy; • Adult and pediatric patients ≥12 years of age with advanced or metastatic RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory (if radioactive iodine is appropriate). May 8, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-selpercatinib-lung-and-thyroid-cancers-ret-gene-mutations-or-fusions

FDA approves capmatinib

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to capmatinib (TABRECTA, Novartis) for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have a mutation that leads to mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) exon 14 skipping as detected by an FDA-approved test. May 6, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-capmatinib-metastatic-non-small-cell-lung-cancer

FDA approves daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj for multiple myeloma

Food and Drug Administration approved daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (DARZALEX FASPRO, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) for adult patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. This new product allows for subcutaneous dosing of daratumumab. May 1, 2020   https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-daratumumab-and-hyaluronidase-fihj-multiple-myeloma

FDA approves niraparib for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer

Food and Drug Administration approved niraparib (ZEJULA, GlaxoSmithKline) for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.  April 29, 2020 https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-niraparib-first-line-maintenance-advanced-ovarian-cancer

FDA granted accelerated approval to sacituzumab govitecan-hziy

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to sacituzumab govitecan-hziy (TRODELVY, Immunomedics, Inc.) for adult patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who received at least two prior therapies for metastatic disease. April 22, 2020 https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-sacituzumab-govitecan-hziy-metastatic-triple-negative-breast-cancer

FDA expanded the indication of ibrutinib (IMBRUVICA)

Food and Drug Administration expanded the indication of ibrutinib (IMBRUVICA, Pharmacyclics LLC) to include its combination with rituximab for the initial treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). April 21, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-approvals-and-databases/fda-approves-ibrutinib-plus-rituximab-chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia

FDA approved pemigatinib

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to pemigatinib (PEMAZYRE, Incyte Corporation) for the treatment of adults with previously treated, unresectable locally advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma with a fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) fusion or other rearrangement as detected by an FDA-approved test. April 20, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-pemigatinib-cholangiocarcinoma-fgfr2-rearrangement-or-fusion

FDA approved tucatinib in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine

Food and Drug Administration approved tucatinib (TUKYSA, Seattle Genetics, Inc.) in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine, for adult patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases, who have received one or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting.  April 17, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-tucatinib-patients-her2-positive-metastatic-breast-cancer

FDA approved mitomycin for adult patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (LG-UTUC)

Food and Drug Administration approved mitomycin (JELMYTO™, UroGen Pharma) for adult patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (LG-UTUC).  April 15, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-mitomycin-low-grade-upper-tract-urothelial-cancer

FDA approved selumetinib for pediatric patients

Food and Drug Administration approved selumetinib (KOSELUGO, AstraZeneca) for pediatric patients, 2 years of age and older, with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) who have symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PN).April 13, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-selumetinib-neurofibromatosis-type-1-symptomatic-inoperable-plexiform-neurofibromas

FDA approved encorafenib in combination with cetuxima

Food and Drug Administration approved encorafenib (BRAFTOVI, Array BioPharma Inc.) in combination with cetuximab for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) with a BRAF V600E mutation, detected by an FDA-approved test, after prior therapy.

April 8, 2020 https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-encorafenib-combination-cetuximab-metastatic-colorectal-cancer-braf-v600e-mutation

FDA approved luspatercept-aamt

Food and Drug Administration approved luspatercept-aamt (REBLOZYL, Celgene Corporation) for the treatment of anemia failing an erythropoiesis stimulating agent and requiring 2 or more red blood cell (RBC) units over 8 weeks in adult patients with very low- to intermediate-risk myelodysplastic syndromes with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS) or with myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis (MDS/MPN-RS-T). April 3, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-luspatercept-aamt-anemia-adults-mds

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FDA granted approval to durvalumab

Food and Drug Administration approved durvalumab (IMFINZI, AstraZeneca) in combination with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). More Information. March 30, 2020

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-durvalumab-extensive-stage-small-cell-lung-cancer

Food and Drug Administration approved isatuximab-irfc

Food and Drug Administration approved isatuximab-irfc (SARCLISA, sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC) in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor. More Information. March 2, 2020

FDA approves neratinib for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer

On February 25, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration approved neratinib (NERLYNX, Puma Biotechnology, Inc.) in combination with capecitabine for adult patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2 based regimens in the metastatic setting.

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-neratinib-metastatic-her2-positive-breast-cancer

FDA approves tazemetostat for advanced epithelioid sarcoma

Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to tazemetostat (TAZVERIK, Epizyme, Inc.) for adults and pediatric patients aged 16 years and older with metastatic or locally advanced epithelioid sarcoma not eligible for complete resection. More Information. January 23, 2020

FDA approved pembrolizumab for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive

Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co. Inc.) for the treatment of patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-unresponsive, high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ (CIS) with or without papillary tumors who are ineligible for or have elected not to undergo cystectomy. More Information. January 8, 2020