FDA approves first Immunotherapy drug for breast cancer

The combination of immunotherapy (Tecentriq) and chemotherapy (Abraxane) was given accelerated approval for triple-negative breast cancer that is locally advanced or has metastasized, cannot be surgically removed, and is programmed death-ligand 1-postive, CNNreported.

*(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given its blessing to the first immunotherapy regimen for breast cancer*

A study published last October in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed a median progression-free survival of 7.4 months among patients who received the combination therapy compared with 4.8 months among those who received chemotherapy with a placebo, the FDA said Friday. The study was funded by Genentech Inc., the maker of Tecentriq.

“This is the first time immunotherapy has worked in such a difficult to treat cancer, and is a huge step forward for these breast cancer patients,” study author Peter Schmid, M.D., Ph.D., from the Queen Mary University of London, said in a statement last October, CNN reported.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply