Mar 31 2009
FDA approves new drug for Kidney Cancer
On Monday, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new drug that for treatment of advanced kidney cancer. Afinitor, the drug manufactured by Novartis, is approved for renal cell cancer patients whose cancer continues to grow even after receiving traditional cancer treatments.
FDA approved the drug after it delayed the disease progression by five months in patients with advanced kidney cancer during a Phase III trial. Use of Afinator also significantly delayed growth of tumors in patients compared to those who didn’t received the drug.
Afinator falls into a drug category called kinase inhibitors, which interfere with cell communication and prevents tumor growth. Afinitor oral tablets (everolimus) will be given to those renal cell cancer patients who saw no improvements after other kinase inhibitor therapies - Sutent (sunitinib) or Nexavar (sorafenib).
Approval of Afinator is seen as a new hope for patients with advanced kidney cancer. Though it is not a permanent solution to the deadly disease, at least it will allow the patients to live some more months without any progression of the disease.
