FDA Approvals, News & Updates

On April 16, 2021, the FDA approved the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab (Opdivo; Bristol Myers Squibb), in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer, or esophageal adenocarcinoma. Nivolumab was the first immunotherapy approved by the FDA for first-line treatment of gastric cancer.

On March 27, 2021, the FDA approved idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma; Bristol Myers Squibb/Bluebird Bio), a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed, genetically modified autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, for the treatment of adults with multiple myeloma whose disease did not respond to, or recurred, after ≥4 lines of therapy. Idecabtagene vicleucel is the first cell-based gene therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of multiple myeloma. The FDA granted this indication orphan drug and breakthrough therapy designations.

On February 26, 2021, the FDA accelerated the approval of melphalan flufenamide (Pepaxto; Oncopeptides AB), an alkylating drug, for the treatment, in combination with dexamethasone, of adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received ≥4 lines of therapy and whose disease is triple-refractory to ≥1 proteasome inhibitors, 1 immunomodulatory drug, and 1 CD-38–directed monoclonal antibody.

On February 12, 2021, the FDA approved trilaciclib (Cosela; G1 Therapeutics), as a first-in-class cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4/6 inhibitor to reduce the frequency of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in adults with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer, when used before a platinum plus etoposide regimen or a topotecan-containing regimen. Trilaciclib may prevent damage to bone marrow cells by inhibiting the CDK4/6 enzyme. The FDA granted trilaciclib priority review and a breakthrough therapy designation.

On February 5, 2021, the FDA approved lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi; Juno Therapeutics), a new CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) after ≥2 previous lines of systemic therapy. The FDA granted lisocabtagene maraleucel priority review, as well as breakthrough therapy, orphan drug, and regenerative medicine advanced therapy designations.

On February 5, 2021, the FDA approved umbralisib (Ukoniq; TG Therapeutics), an oral kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory marginal-zone lymphoma (MZL) or with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). Umbralisib is indicated for MZL after ≥1 CD20-directed regimens, and for FL after ≥3 lines of systemic therapy.

On March 30, 2021, the FDA approved a new indication for daunorubicin and cytarabine (Vyxeos; Jazz Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of pediatric patients aged ≥1 years with newly diagnosed, therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or patients with AML and myelodysplasia-related changes. Daunorubicin and cytarabine is a liposomal combination of an anthracycline topoisomerase inhibitor (daunorubicin) and a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor (cytarabine).

On March 5, 2021, the FDA approved a new indication for axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta; Kite Pharma), a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who have received ≥2 lines of systemic therapy. The FDA granted this indication a priority review as well as breakthrough therapy and orphan drug designations.

On March 3, 2021, the FDA approved a new indication for lorlatinib (Lorbrena; Pfizer), a third-generation ALK inhibitor, for the first-line treatment of patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and ALK mutation.

On February 9, 2021, the FDA approved a new indication for cemiplimab-rwlc (Libtayo; Regeneron/sanofi-aventis) for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic basal-cell carcinoma (BCC) in patients who had received or are ineligible to receive a hedgehog inhibitor. The FDA granted cemiplimab a priority review and accelerated its approval for this indication.