Hematology/Oncology (Cancer) Approvals & Safety Notifications | FDA

Hematology/Oncology (Cancer) Approvals & Safety Notifications | FDA

FDA does not issue approval announcements for every approval or drug label update that occurs in oncology and hematology. Please refer to Drugs@FDA for the latest approvals and prescribing information for specific products.

2020

•  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
• Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab (OPDIVO and YERVOY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. More Information. March 10, 2020
• 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
• 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. More Information. February 25, 2020
• 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
• Food and Drug Administration approved avapritinib (AYVAKIT, Blueprint Medicines Corporation) for adults with unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) harboring a platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) exon 18 mutation, including D842V mutations. More Information. January 9, 2020
• 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

2019

• Food and Drug Administration approved olaparib (LYNPARZA, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP) for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated (gBRCAm) metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, as detected by an FDA-approved test, whose disease has not progressed on at least 16 weeks of a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy regimen. More Information. December 27, 2019.
• Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki (ENHERTU, Daiichi Sankyo) for patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. More Information. December 20, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to enfortumab vedotin-ejfv (PADCEV, Astellas Pharma US, Inc.) for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have previously received a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor, and a platinum-containing chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant/adjuvant, locally advanced or metastatic setting. More Information. December 18, 2019
• FDA approved enzalutamide (XTANDI, Astellas Pharma Inc.) for patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC). More Information. December 16, 2019
• FDA approved  approved atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ, Genentech  Inc.) in combination with paclitaxel protein-bound  and carboplatin for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic  non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with no EGFR or ALK genomic  tumor aberrations. More Information. December 3, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to voxelotor (Oxbryta, Global Blood Therapeutics) for adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with sickle cell disease. More Information. November 25, 2019
• FDA approved acalabrutinib (CALQUENCE, AstraZeneca) for adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). More Information.  November 21, 2019
• FDA approved givosiran (GIVLAARI, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for adults with acute hepatic porphyria (AHP). More Information. November 20, 2019
• FDA approved crizanlizumab-tmca (ADAKVEO, Novartis) to reduce the frequency of vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) in adults and pediatric patients aged 16 years and older with sickle cell disease. More Information.  November 15, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to zanubrutinib (BRUKINSA, BeiGene, Ltd.) for adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy. More Information.  November 14, 2019
• FDA approved luspatercept-aamt (REBLOZYL, Celgene Corp.) for treatment of anemia in adult patients with beta thalassemia who require regular red blood cell transfusions. More Information.  November 8, 2019
• FDA Office of Hematology Oncology Products Reorganizes, Renamed Office of Oncologic Diseases.  More Information. November 5, 2019
• FDA approved niraparib (ZEJULA, Tesaro, Inc.) for patients with advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer treated with three or more prior chemotherapy regimens and whose cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-positive status. HDR is defined by either a deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA mutation, or genomic instability in patients with disease progression greater than six months after response to the last platinum-based chemotherapy. More Information.  October 23, 2019
• FDA approved daratumumab (DARZALEX, Janssen) for adult patients with multiple myeloma in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone in newly diagnosed patients who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). More Information. September 26, 2019.
• FDA approved apalutamide (ERLEADA, Janssen Biotech, Inc) for patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC). Apalutamide was initially approved in 2018 for patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. More Information. September 17, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to the combination of pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck) plus lenvatinib (LENVIMA, Eisai) for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is not microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) and who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy but are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation. More Information.  September 17, 2019
• FDA approved fedratinib (INREBIC, Impact Biomedicines, Inc.) for adults with intermediate-2 or high-risk primary or secondary (post-polycythemia vera or post-essential thrombocythemia) myelofibrosis (MF). More Information. August 16, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to entrectinib (ROZLYTREK, Genentech Inc.) for adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with solid tumors that have a neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusion without a known acquired resistance mutation, are metastatic or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and have progressed following treatment or have no satisfactory standard therapy. More Information August 15, 2019
• FDA approves pexidartinib for tenosynovial giant cell tumor. More Information. August 2, 2019
• FDA approves pembrolizumab for advanced esophageal squamous cell cancer.  More Information.  July 30, 2019
• FDA approved darolutamide (NUBEQA, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.) for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. More Information.  July 30, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to selinexor (XPOVIO, Karyopharm Therapeutics) in combination with dexamethasone for adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have received at least four prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least two proteasome inhibitors, at least two immunomodulatory agents, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. More Information. July 3, 2019.
• FDA approved daratumumab (DARZALEX, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant. More Information. June 27,2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA,  Merck) for patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease  progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy and at least one other prior  line of therapy. More Information.  June 17, 2019.
• FDA approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck) for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or unresectable recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). More Information.  June 10, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to polatuzumab vedotin-piiq (POLIVY, Genentech, Inc.), a CD79b-directed antibody-drug conjugate indicated in combination with bendamustine and a rituximab product for adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified, after at least two prior therapies. More Information. June 10, 2019
• FDA approved the addition of overall survival data in labeling for gilteritinib (XOSPATA, Astellas Pharma US, Inc.), indicated for adult patients who have relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a FLT3 mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  May 29, 2019
• FDA approved lenalidomide (REVLIMID, Celgene Corp.) in combination with a rituximab product for previously treated follicular lymphoma (FL) and previously treated marginal zone lymphoma (MZL). More Information. May 28, 2019
• FDA approved alpelisib (PIQRAY, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) in combination with fulvestrant for postmenopausal women, and men, with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, PIK3CA-mutated, advanced or metastatic breast cancer as detected by an FDA-approved test following progression on or after an endocrine-based regimen. More Information. May 24, 2019
• FDA approved ruxolitinib (JAKAFI, Incyte Corporation) for  steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in adult and  pediatric patients 12 years and older. More Information.  May 24, 2019
• FDA approved dalteparin sodium (FRAGMIN, Pfizer, Inc.) to reduce the recurrence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) in pediatric patients 1 month of age and older. More Information. May 16, 2019
• FDA approved approved venetoclax (VENCLEXTA, AbbVie Inc. and Genentech Inc.) for adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)..More Information.  May 15, 2019
• FDA approved avelumab (BAVENCIO, EMD Serono, Inc.) in combination with axitinib for first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). More Information.  May 14, 2019
• FDA approved ramucirumab (CYRAMZA, Eli Lilly and Company) as a single agent for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who have an alpha fetoprotein (AFP) of ≥ 400 ng/mL and have been previously treated with sorafenib. More Information.  May 10, 2019
• FDA approved ado-trastuzumab emtansine (KADCYLA, Genentech, Inc.) for the adjuvant treatment of patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer (EBC) who have residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant taxane and trastuzumab-based treatment. More Information. May 3, 2019
• FDA approved ivosidenib (TIBSOVO, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a susceptible IDH1 mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test, in patients who are at least 75 years old or who have comorbidities that preclude the use of intensive induction chemotherapy.  More Information.  May 2, 2019
• FDA approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co. Inc.) plus axitinib for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).More Information, April 19, 2019
• FDA granted accelerated approval to erdafitinib (BALVERSA, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies) for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma, with susceptible FGFR3 or FGFR2 genetic alterations, that has progressed during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, including within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant platinum-containing chemotherapy. More Information. April 12, 2019
• FDA approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck Inc.) for the first-line treatment of patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are not candidates for surgical resection or definitive chemoradiation or metastatic NSCLC. Patients’ tumors must have no EGFR or ALK genomic aberrations and express PD-L1 (Tumor Proportion Score [TPS] ≥1%) determined by an FDA-approved test. More Information. April 11, 2019
• FDA approved atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ, Genentech Inc.) in combination with carboplatin and etoposide, for the first-line treatment of adult patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). More Information. March 18, 2019
• FDA approves atezolizumab for PD-L1 positive unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. More information. March 8, 2019 
• FDA approved trastuzumab and hyaluronidase-oysk injection, for subcutaneous use (Herceptin Hylecta, Genentech Inc.). Herceptin Hylecta is a combination of trastuzumab, a HER2/neu receptor antagonist, and hyaluronidase, an endoglycosidase, for the treatment of HER2 overexpressing breast cancer. More Information. February 28, 2019
• FDA approved trifluridine/ tipiracil tablets (LONSURF, Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)—a fixed combination of trifluridine, a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor, and tipiracil, a thymidine phosphorylase inhibitor—for adult patients with metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma previously treated with at least two prior lines of chemotherapy that included a fluoropyrimidine, a platinum, either a taxane or irinotecan, and if appropriate, HER2/neu-targeted therapy. More Information.  February 22, 2019.
• FDA approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck) for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph node(s) following complete resection. More Information.  February 15, 2019
• FDA approved caplacizumab-yhdp (CABLIVI, Ablynx NV) for adult patients with acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP), in combination with plasma exchange and immunosuppressive therapy. More Information,  February 6, 2019.
• FDA approved cabozantinib (CABOMETYX, Exelixis, Inc.) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. More Information,  January 14, 2019

2018

• FDA approved tagraxofusp-erzs (ELZONRIS, Stemline Therapeutics), a CD123-directed cytotoxin, for blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) in adults and in pediatric patients 2 years and older. More information. December 21, 2019
• FDA approved ravulizumab-cwvz (ULTOMIRIS, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). More information. December 21, 2018
• FDA approved calaspargase pegol-mknl (ASPARLAS, Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC), an asparagine specific enzyme, as a component of a multi-agent chemotherapeutic regimen for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in pediatric and young adult patients age 1 month to 21 years. This new product provides for a longer interval between doses compared to other available pegaspargase products.  More Information.  December 20, 2018
• FDA approved olaparib (LYNPARZA, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP) for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic BRCA-mutated (gBRCAm or sBRCAm) advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. More Information. December 19, 2018
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co. Inc.) for adult and pediatric patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). More Information.  December 19, 2018
• FDA approved Herzuma (trastuzumab-pkrb, Celltrion Inc.) as a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab, Genentech Inc.) for patients with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer. More Information. December 14, 2018 
• FDA approved romiplostim (NPLATE, Amgen Inc.) for pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) for at least 6 months who have had an insufficient response to corticosteroids, immunoglobulins, or splenectomy. More Information.  December 14, 2018
• FDA approved atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ, Genentech, Inc.), in combination with bevacizumab, paclitaxel, and carboplatin for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer (NSq NSCLC) with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. More Information.  December 6, 2018
• FDA approved gilteritinib (XOSPATA,  Astellas Pharma US Inc.) for treatment of adult patients who have relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a FLT3 mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information. November 28, 2018
• FDA approved Truxima (rituximab-abbs, Celltrion Inc.) as the first biosimilar to Rituxan (rituximab, Genentech Inc.) for patients with CD20-positive, B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) to be used as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy. More Information. November 28, 2018
• FDA granted accelerated approval to larotrectinib (VITRAKVI, Loxo Oncology Inc. and Bayer) for adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors that have a neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase (NTRK) gene fusion without a known acquired resistance mutation, that are either metastatic or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and who have no satisfactory alternative treatments or whose cancer has progressed following treatment. More Information.  November 26, 2018
• FDA granted accelerated approval to venetoclax (VENCLEXTA, AbbVie Inc. and Genentech Inc.) in combination with azacitidine or decitabine or low-dose cytarabine for the treatment of newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults who are age 75 years or older, or who have comorbidities that preclude use of intensive induction chemotherapy. More Information. November 21, 2018
• FDA approved glasdegib (DAURISMO, Pfizer Labs) in combination with low-dose cytarabine (LDAC), for newly-diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in patients who are 75 years old or older or who have comorbidities that preclude intensive induction chemotherapy.  More Information. November 21, 2018
• FDA approved emapalumab (GAMIFANT, Novimmune SA), a monoclonal antibody that binds and neutralizes interferon gamma, for adult and pediatric (newborn and older) patients with primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) with refractory, recurrent or progressive disease or intolerance with conventional HLH therapy. More Information  November 20, 2018
• FDA approved brentuximab vedotin (ADCETRIS, Seattle Genetics Inc.) in combination with chemotherapy for previously untreated systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma or other CD30-expressing peripheral T-cell lymphomas. More information. November 16, 2018 
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co., Inc.) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. More Information.  November 9, 2018
• FDA granted accelerated approval to lorlatinib (LORBRENA, Pfizer, Inc.) for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease has progressed on crizotinib and at least one other ALK inhibitor for metastatic disease or whose disease has progressed on alectinib or ceritinib as the first ALK inhibitor therapy for metastatic disease. More Information.  November 2, 2018
• FDA approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co. Inc.) in combination with carboplatin and either paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel as first-line treatment of metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)..More Information.  October 30, 2018
• FDA approved talazoparib (TALZENNA, Pfizer Inc.), a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, for patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated (gBRCAm), HER2 negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer. Patients must be selected for therapy based on an FDA-approved companion diagnostic for talazoparib.  More Information.  October 16, 2018.
• FDA approved emicizumab-kxwh injection (HEMLIBRA, Genentech, Inc.) for prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adult and pediatric patients (ages newborn and older) with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency) with or without factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors. More Information.  October 4, 2018
• FDA approved cemiplimab-rwlc (LIBTAYO, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.) for patients with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) or locally advanced CSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. More Information. September 28, 2018.
• FDA approved dacomitinib tablets (VIZIMPRO, Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company) for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletion or exon 21 L858R substitution mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  September 27, 2018 
• FDA granted regular approval to duvelisib (COPIKTRA, Verastem, Inc.) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) after at least two prior therapies. In addition, duvelisib received accelerated approval for adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after at least two prior systemic therapies.  More Information. September 24, 2018 
• FDA  approved moxetumomab pasudotox-tdfk (LUMOXITI, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP), a CD22-directed cytotoxin indicated for adult patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia (HCL) who received at least two prior systemic therapies, including treatment with a purine nucleoside analog (PNA). More Information. September 13, 2018
• FDA  approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co., Inc.) in combination with pemetrexed and platinum as first-line treatment of patients with metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSqNSCLC), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. More Information.  August 20, 2018.
• FDA  updated the prescribing information for Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Tecentriq (atezolizumab) to require the use of an FDA-approved companion diagnostic test to determine PD-L1 levels in tumor tissue from patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who are cisplatin-ineligible. FDA approved two different companion diagnostic tests, one for use with Keytruda and one for use with Tecentriq, More Information. August 16, 2018.
• FDA granted accelerated approval to nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Inc.) for patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with progression after platinum-based chemotherapy and at least one other line of therapy. More Information.  August 16, 2018
• FDA approved lenvatinib capsules (Lenvima, Eisai Inc.) for first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). More Information.  August 16, 2018
• FDA approved mogamulizumab-kpkc (Poteligeo, Kyowa Kirin, Inc.) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory mycosis fungoides (MF) or Sézary syndrome (SS) after at least one prior systemic therapy. More Information.  August 8, 2018
• FDA approved lusutrombopag (Mulpleta, Shionogi Inc.) for thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic liver disease who are scheduled to undergo a medical or dental procedure. More Information.  July 31, 2018.
• FDA approved iobenguane I 131 (AZEDRA, Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for adult and pediatric patients (12 years and older) with iobenguane scan-positive, unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (PPGL) who require systemic anticancer therapy. More Information. July 30, 2018.
• FDA  approved ivosidenib (Tibsovo, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a susceptible IDH1 mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test.  More Information.  July 20, 2018
• FDA expanded the indication for ribociclib (Kisqali, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) in combination with an aromatase inhibitor for pre/perimenopausal women with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer, as initial endocrine-based therapy. More Information.  July 18, 2018
• FDA approved enzalutamide (XTANDI, Astellas Pharma US, Inc.), for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). More Information.  July 13, 2018
• FDA granted accelerated approval to ipilimumab (YERVOY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Inc.) for use in combination with nivolumab for the treatment of patients 12 years of age and older with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. More Information.  July 10, 2018
• FDA  has limited the use of Tecentriq and Keytruda for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who are not eligible for cisplatin-containing therapy.  More Information.  June 19, 2018
• FDA approved encorafenib and binimetinib (BRAFTOVI and MEKTOVI, Array BioPharma Inc.) in combination for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  June 27, 2018
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), or who have relapsed after two or more prior lines of therapy. More Information.  June 13, 2018
• FDA approved bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech, Inc.) for patients with epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by single-agent bevacizumab, for stage III or IV disease after initial surgical resection. More Information. June 13, 2018
• FDA approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck and Co. Inc.) for patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS ≥1) as determined by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  June 12, 2018
• FDA granted regular approval to venetoclax (VENCLEXTA,  AbbVie Inc. and Genentech Inc.) for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), with or without 17p deletion, who have received at least one prior therapy. More Information.  June 8, 2018
• FDA approved methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (Mircera, Vifor Pharma Inc.) for the treatment of pediatric patients 5 to 17 years of age on hemodialysis who are converting from another ESA after their hemoglobin level was stabilized with an ESA.  More Information.  June 7, 2018
• FDA approved Fulphila (pegfilgrastim-jmdb, Mylan GmbH) as a biosimilar to Neulasta (pegfilgrastim, Amgen, Inc.) to decrease the chance of infection as suggested by febrile neutropenia in patients with non-myeloid cancer who are receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy that has a clinically significant incidence of febrile neutropenia. More Information.  June 4, 2018
• FDA approved avatrombopag (Doptelet, AkaRx Inc.) for thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic liver disease scheduled to undergo a procedure. More Information.  May 21, 2018
• FDA approved Retacrit (epoetin alfa-epbx, Hospira Inc., a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc.) as a biosimilar to Epogen/Procrit (epoetin alfa, Amgen Inc.) for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients on dialysis and not on dialysis, use of zidovudine in patients with HIV infection, and the effects of concomitant myelosuppressive chemotherapy. It is also approved for the reduction of allogeneic red blood cell transfusions in patients undergoing elective, noncardiac, nonvascular surgery. More Information.  May 15, 2018
• FDA approves dabrafenib plus trametinib for anaplastic thyroid cancer with BRAF V600E mutation. More Information. May 4, 2018.
• FDA approved tisagenlecleucel (KYMRIAH, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy, 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, high grade B-cell lymphoma and DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma. More Information.  May 1, 2018.
• FDA granted regular approval to dabrafenib (TAFINLAR, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) and trametinib (MEKINIST, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) in combination for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with BRAF V600E or V600K mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test, and involvement of lymph node(s), following complete resection.  More Information. April 30, 2018 
• FDA approved osimertinib (Tagrisso, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP) for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic 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.  April 19, 2018
• FDA approved fostamatinib disodium hexahydrate tablets (TAVALISSE, Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adult patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment. More Information.  April 17, 2018
• FDA  granted approvals to nivolumab and ipilimumab (Opdivo and Yervoy, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) in combination for the treatment of intermediate or poor risk, previously untreated advanced renal cell carcinoma. More Information.  April 16, 2018
• FDA approved everolimus tablets for oral suspension (Afinitor Disperz, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) for the adjunctive treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 2 years and older with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-associated partial-onset seizures. Everolimus is also approved for two other manifestations of TSC: TSC-associated subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) and TSC-associated renal angiomyolipoma. More Information.  April 10, 2018
• FDA approved rucaparib for maintenance treatment of recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. More Information. April 6, 2018
• FDA granted accelerated approval to blinatumomab (Blincyto, Amgen Inc.) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in first or second complete remission with minimal residual disease (MRD) greater than or equal to 0.1%. More Information.  March 29, 2018
• FDA approved nilotinib (TASIGNA, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) for pediatric patients 1 year of age or older with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase (Ph+ CML-CP) or Ph+ CML-CP resistant or intolerant to prior tyrosine-kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. More Information.  March 22, 2018
• FDA  approved brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris, Seattle Genetics, Inc.) to treat adult patients with previously untreated stage III or IV classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in combination with chemotherapy. More Information.  March 20, 2018
• FDA approved abemaciclib (VERZENIO, Eli Lilly and Company) in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. More Information.  February 26, 2018
• FDA approved durvalumab (Imfinzi, AstraZeneca Inc.) for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease has not progressed following concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy. More Information.  February 16, 2018
• FDA approves apalutamide for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. More Information.  February 14, 2018 
• FDA approved abiraterone acetate (Zytiga, Janssen Biotech Inc.) tablets in combination with prednisone for metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC). More Information.  February 7, 2018
• FDA approved lutetium Lu 177 dotatate (LUTATHERA, Advanced Accelerator Applications USA, Inc.) a radiolabeled somatostatin analog, for the treatment of somatostatin receptor-positive gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs), including foregut, midgut, and hindgut neuroendocrine tumors in adults. More Information.  January 26, 2018
• FDA granted approval to afatinib (Gilotrif, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical, Inc.) for a broadened indication in first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have non-resistant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test.  More Information.  January 12, 2018
• FDA granted regular approval to olaparib tablets (Lynparza, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP), a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated (gBRCAm), HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who have been treated with chemotherapy either in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic setting. More Information.  January 12, 2018

2017

• FDA updated the product label for nilotinib (Tasigna, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) to include information on nilotinib discontinuation, post-discontinuation monitoring criteria, and guidance for treatment re-initiation in patients taking nilotinib for Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have achieved a sustained molecular response (MR 4.5). More Information. December 22, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to hydroxyurea (Siklos, Addmedica) to reduce the frequency of painful crises and the need for blood transfusions in pediatric patients from 2 years of age and older with sickle cell anemia with recurrent moderate to severe painful crises. More Information.  December 21, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to pertuzumab (PERJETA, Genentech, Inc.) for use in combination with trastuzumab and chemotherapy as adjuvant treatment of patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence. More Information.  December 20, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to the anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody, nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph nodes or in patients with metastatic disease who have undergone complete resection. Nivolumab was previously approved for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. More Information.  December 20, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to bosutinib (BOSULIF, Pfizer Inc.) for treatment of patients with newly-diagnosed chronic phase (CP) Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). More Information.   December 19, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to cabozantinib (Cabometyx, Exelixis, Inc.) for treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). More Information.  December 19, 2017.
• FDA approved Ogivri (trastuzumab-dkst, Mylan) as a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab, Genentech, Inc.) for the treatment of patients with HER2-overexpressing breast or metastatic stomach cancer (gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma). More Information.  December 1, 2017
• FDA granted marketing approval to the FoundationOne CDx (F1CDx, Foundation Medicine, Inc.), a next generation sequencing (NGS) based in vitro diagnostic (IVD) to detect genetic mutations in 324 genes and two genomic signatures in any solid tumor type. More Information.  November 30, 2017
• FDA approved sunitinib malate (Sutent, Pfizer Inc.) for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients at high risk of recurrent renal cell carcinoma following nephrectomy. More Information.  November 16, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to obinutuzumab (GAZYVA, Genentech, Inc.) in combination with chemotherapy, followed by obinutuzumab monotherapy in patients achieving at least a partial remission, for the treatment of adult patients with previously untreated stage II bulky, III, or IV follicular lymphoma (FL). More Information. November 16, 2017
• FDA approved emicizumab-kxwh (HEMLIBRA, Genentech, Inc.) for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adult and pediatric patients with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency) with factor VIII inhibitors. More Information.  November 16, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to dasatinib (SPRYCEL, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for the treatment of pediatric patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in the chronic phase.  More Information. November 9, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to brentuximab vedotin (ADCETRIS, Seattle Genetics, Inc.) for the treatment of adult patients with primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (pcALCL) or CD30-expressing mycosis fungoides (MF) who have received prior systemic therapy. More Information.  November 9, 2017.
• FDA granted regular approval to alectinib (ALECENSA, Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc./Genentech, Inc.) for treatment of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  November 6, 2017  
• FDA granted regular approval to vemurafenib (ZELBORAF, Hoffmann-La Roche Inc.) for the treatment of patients with Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD) with BRAF V600 mutation. More Information.  November 6, 2017.
• FDA granted accelerated approval to acalabrutinib (Calquence, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Inc. under license of Acerta Pharma BV) for treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy. More Information.  October 31, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to axicabtagene ciloleucel (YESCARTA, Kite Pharma, Inc.) for the treatment of 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, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, high-grade B-cell lymphoma, and DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma. More Information.  October 18, 2017
• FDA approved abemaciclib (VERZENIO, Eli Lilly and Company) in combination with fulvestrant for women with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer with disease progression following endocrine therapy.  More Inforrmation.  September 28, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who have been previously treated with sorafenib.  More Information.  September 22, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co., Inc.) for patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic, gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma whose tumors express PD-L1 as determined by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  September 22, 2017
• FDA approved a lower dose of cabazitaxel (20 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) (JEVTANA, Sanofi-Aventis) in combination with prednisone for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing treatment regimen.  Cabazitaxel (25 mg/m2 every  3 weeks) was approved for this indication in 2010.  More Information.  September 14, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to copanlisib (ALIQOPA, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma who have received at least two prior systemic therapies. More Information.  September 14, 2017
• FDA approved Mvasi (bevacizumab-awwb, Amgen Inc.) as a biosimilar to Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech Inc.). Mvasi is the first biosimilar approved in the U.S. for the treatment of cancer. More Information.  September 14, 2017
• FDA approved gemtuzumab ozogamicin (Mylotarg, Pfizer Inc.) for the treatment of newly-diagnosed CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in adults and for treatment of relapsed or refractory CD33-positive AML in adults and in pediatric patients 2 years and older. Gemtuzumab ozogamicin may be used in combination with daunorubicin and cytarabine for adults with newly-diagnosed AML, or as a stand-alone treatment for certain adult and pediatric patients. More Information. September 1, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to tisagenlecleucel (KYMRIAH, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) for the treatment of patients up to age 25 years with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) that is refractory or in second or later relapse. More Information. August 30, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to olaparib tablets (Lynparza, AstraZeneca) for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer, who are in a complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. More Information.  August 17, 2017
• FDA approved inotuzumab ozogamicin (BESPONSA,, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc.) for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).  More Information.  August 17, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to a liposome-encapsulated combination of daunorubicin and cytarabine (VYXEOS, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for the treatment of adults with newly-diagnosed therapy-related AML (t-AML) or AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC), two types of AML having a poor prognosis.  More Information.  August 3, 2017
• FDA approved ibrutinib (Imbruvica, Pharmacyclics LLC) for the treatment of adult patients with chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) after failure of one or more lines of systemic therapy. This is the first FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of cGVHD.  More Information.  August 2, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to enasidenib (IDHIFA, Celgene Corp.) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia with an isocitrate dehydrogenase-2 (IDH2) mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  August 1, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) for the treatment of patients 12 years and older with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) and microsatellite instability high (MSI-H) metastatic colorectal cancer that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. More Information.  August 1, 2017
• FDA approved neratinib (NERLYNX, Puma Biotechnology, Inc.) for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage HER2-overexpressed/amplified breast cancer, to follow adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy.  More Information.  July 17, 2017
• FDA approved blinatumomab (BLINCYTO, Amgen Inc.) for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adults and children.  More Information.  July 11, 2017
• FDA approved L-glutamine oral powder (Endari, Emmaus Medical, Inc.) for oral administration to reduce the acute complications of sickle cell disease in adult and pediatric patients 5 years and older. More Information.  July 7, 2012
• FDA granted marketing approval to the Praxis Extended RAS Panel (Illumina, Inc.), a next generation sequencing (NGS) test to detect certain genetic mutations in RAS genes in tumor samples of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The test is used to aid in the identification of patients who may be eligible for treatment with panitumumab (VECTIBIX, Amgen, Inc.). More Information.  June 29, 2017
• FDA approved betrixaban (BEVYXXA, Portola) for the prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adult patients hospitalized for an acute medical illness who are at risk for thromboembolic complications due to moderate or severe restricted mobility and other risk factors for VTE. More Information.  June 23, 2017
• FDA granted regular approvals to dabrafenib and trametinib (TAFINLAR and MEKINIST, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Inc.) administered in combination for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with BRAF V600E mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information.  June 22, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to the combination of rituximab and hyaluronidase human (RITUXAN HYCELA, Genentech Inc.) for adult patients with follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. More Information.  June 22, 2017
• FDA approved aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride, known as ALA HCl (Gleolan, NX Development Corp.) as an optical imaging agent indicated in patients with gliomas (suspected World Health Organization Grades III or IV on preoperative imaging) as an adjunct for the visualization of malignant tissue during surgery.  More Information.  June 6, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to ceritinib (ZYKADIA, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test. More Information. May 26, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co.) for adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic, microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) solid tumors that have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options or with MSI-H or dMMR colorectal cancer that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. More Information.  May 23, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck and Co., Inc.) for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. More Information.  May 18, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated  approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck and Co., Inc.) in combination with pemetrexed and carboplatin for the  treatment of patients with previously untreated metastatic non-squamous non-small  cell lung cancer (NSCLC). More Information. May 10, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to avelumab (BAVENCIO, EMD Serono, Inc.) for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma whose disease progressed during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant platinum-containing chemotherapy. More Information.  May 9, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to durvalumab (IMFINZI, AstraZeneca UK Limited) for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or who have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy.  More Information. May 1, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to brigatinib (ALUNBRIG tablets, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, through its wholly owned subsidiary ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for the treatment of patients with metastatic anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed on or are intolerant to crizotinib. More Information.  April 28, 2017
• FDA approved midostaurin (RYDAPT, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are FLT3 mutation-positive (FLT3+), as detected by an FDA-approved test, in combination with standard cytarabine and daunorubicin induction and cytarabine consolidation. More Information.  April 28, 2017
• FDA expanded the indications of regorafenib (STIVARGA, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.) to include the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. More Information.  April 27, 2017
• FDA has permitted marketing of the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution (PIPS, Philips Medical Systems Nederland B.V.), as an aid to the pathologist to review and interpret digital images of surgical pathology slides prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue. More Information.  April 17, 2017
• FDA has granted marketing authorization to  ipsogen JAK2 RGQ PCR Kit, manufactured by QIAGEN GmbH., to detect mutations affecting the Janus Tyrosine Kinase 2 (JAK2) gene. This is the first FDA-authorized test intended to help physicians in evaluating patients for suspected Polycythemia Vera (PV).  More Information.  March 27, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to palbociclib (IBRANCE, Pfizer Inc.) for the treatment of hormone receptor (HR) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine based therapy in postmenopausal women. More Information.  March 31, 2017
• FDA granted regular approval to osimertinib (TAGRISSO, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP) for the treatment of patients with metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as detected by an FDA-approved test, whose disease has progressed on or after EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. More Information.  March 30, 2017
• FDA approved niraparib (ZEJULA, Tesaro, Inc.), a poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. More Information.  March 27, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to avelumab (BAVENCIO, EMD Serono, Inc.) for the treatment of patients 12 years and older with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Avelumab is a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blocking human IgG1 lambda monoclonal antibody. This is the first FDA-approved product to treat this type of cancer. More Information.  March 23, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA), Merck and Co., Inc.) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), or those who have relapsed after three or more prior lines of therapy. More Information.  March 15, 2017
• FDA approved ribociclib (KISQALI, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp.), a cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor, in combination with an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy for the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. More Information.  March 13, 2017
• FDA approved lenalidomide (Revlimid, Celgene Corp.) as maintenance therapy for patients with multiple myeloma following autologous stem cell transplant. More Information.  February 22, 2017
• FDA granted accelerated approval to nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) for treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with a platinum-containing chemotherapy. More Information.  February 2, 2017

 2016 

• FDA granted accelerated approval to rucaparib (RUBRACA, Clovis Oncology, Inc.) for treatment of patients with deleterious BRCA mutation (germline and/or somatic) associated advanced ovarian cancer who have been treated with two or more chemotherapies.  More Information.  December 19, 2016
• FDA approved daratumumab (DARZALEX, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy.  More Information.  November 21, 2016
• FDA approved nivolumab (OPDIVO Injection, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company), for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with disease progression on or after a platinum-based therapy.  More Information.  November 10, 2016
• FDA approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co., Inc.) for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L1 as determined by an FDA-approved test.  More Information.  October 24, 2016
• FDA granted accelerated approval to olaratumab (LARTRUVO, Eli Lilly and Company) for the treatment of patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) not amenable to curative treatment with radiotherapy or surgery and with a histologic subtype for which an anthracycline-containing regimen is appropriate.  More Information.  October 19, 2016
• FDA approved atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ, Genentech Oncology) for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease progressed during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving atezolizumab.  More Information.  October 18, 2016
• FDA modified the indication for erlotinib (TARCEVA, Astellas Pharm Global Development Inc.) for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to limit use to patients whose tumors have specific epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. More Information. October 18, 2016
• FDA modified the dosage regimen for nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for the currently approved indications for renal cell carcinoma, metastatic melanoma, and non-small cell lung cancer.  The currently approved recommended dosage regimens were modified to 240 mg intravenously (IV) every two weeks.  More Information.  September 13, 2016.
• FDA granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA injection, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.) for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. More Information. August 5, 2016
• FDA approved cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.) using plasma specimens as a companion diagnostic test for the detection of exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) substitution mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene to identify patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) eligible for treatment with Tarceva (erlotinib). More Information.  June 1, 2016
• FDA gave accelerated approval to atezolizumab injection (Tecentriq, Genentech, Inc.) for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy.   Atezolizumab is a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) blocking antibody. More Information.  May 18, 2016
• FDA granted accelerated approval to nivolumab (Opdivo, marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb) for the treatment of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and post-transplantation brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris).  More Information.  May 17, 2016
• FDA approved lenvatinib capsules (Lenvima, Eisai, Inc.), in combination with everolimus, for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma following one prior anti-angiogenic therapy.  Lenvatinib was first approved in 2015 for the treatment of locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. More Information.  May 13, 2016
• FDA approved cabozantinib (CABOMETYX, Exelixis, Inc.) for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma in patients who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy. More Information.  April 25, 2016
• FDA approved venetoclax (VENCLEXTA  tablets, marketed by AbbVie, Inc. and Genentech USA, Inc.) for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with 17p deletion, as detected by an FDA-approved test, who have received at least one prior therapy. More Information.  April 11, 2016
• FDA approved defibrotide sodium (Defitelio, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD), also known as sinusoidal obstructive syndrome, with renal or pulmonary dysfunction following hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT). More Information.  March 30, 2016.
• FDA approved crizotinib capsules (Xalkori, Pfizer, Inc.) for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors are ROS1-positive. More Information.  March 11, 2016
• FDA approved everolimus (Afinitor , Novartis) for the treatment of adult patients with progressive, well-differentiated non-functional, neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of gastrointestinal (GI) or lung origin with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease.  More Information.  February 26, 2016
• FDA  approved obinutuzumab (Gazyva Injection, Genentech, Inc.) for use in combination with bendamustine followed by obinutuzumab monotherapy for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) who relapsed after, or are refractory to, a rituximab-containing regimen. Obinutuzumab was previously approved for use in combination with chlorambucil for the treatment of patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia. More Information.  February 26, 2016
• FDA  approved palbociclib (IBRANCE Capsules, Pfizer, Inc.) in combination with fulvestrant for the treatment of women with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer with disease progression following endocrine therapy. More Information.  February 19, 2016
• FDA approved eribulin (HALAVEN® injection, Eisai Co., Ltd.) for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic liposarcoma who have received a prior anthracycline-containing regimen. More Information.  January 28, 2016
•  FDA approved ofatumumab (Arzerra Injection, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation) for extended treatment of patients who are in complete or partial response after at least two lines of therapy for recurrent or progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Ofatumumab was previously approved for the treatment of previously untreated patients with CLL for whom fludarabine-based therapy was considered inappropriate and also for patients with CLL refractory to fludarabine and alemtuzumab.  More InformationExternal Link Disclaimer.  January 19, 2016