Drugs

FDA Approves Jazz’ Zepzelca for Some Lung Cancers

FDA says it has granted accelerated approval to Jazz Pharma’s Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) for adult patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. An agency announcement says the drug’s efficacy was demonstrated in a multi-center trial enrolling 105 patients who received lurbinectedin by intravenous infusion every 21 days until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

The most common adverse reactions, including laboratory abnormalities, were myelosuppression, fatigue, increased creatinine, increased alanine aminotransferase, increased glucose, nausea, decreased appetite, musculoskeletal pain, decreased albumin, constipation, dyspnea, decreased sodium, increased aspartate aminotransferase, vomiting, cough, decreased magnesium, and diarrhea.

The indication was approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response, FDA says. Continued approval for the indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

FDA says the review was conducted under the Oncology Center of Excellence Project Orbis, which provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology products among international partners. The drug was granted orphan drug designation for this treatment and priority review for this application.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome