FDA Approves Rx for Combo Treatment of Lung Cancer

Metastatic non small cell lung cancer medication ramucirumab gets approval for combination with docetaxel

(RxWiki News) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new medication for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The new medication, ramucirumab (brand name Cyramza Injection), was approved for use in combination with docetaxel for patients with metastatic NSCLC whose disease progressed during or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

This approval comes after a clinical trial of more than 1,200 patients who had previously received treatment for metastatic NSCLC. These patients were randomized to receive either ramucirumab plus docetaxel or a placebo plus docetaxel.

Overall survival was about one month greater in the group that received ramucirumab than in the placebo group. Progression-free survival (the period of time in which the disease does not get worse) was also longer in the ramucirumab group compared to the placebo group.

The most common side effects of the ramucirumab combination were neutropenia (low count of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections), fatigue, stomatitis (inflammation of the mouth and lips) and mucosal inflammation.

Cyramza Injection is a product of Eli Lilly and Company.

Review Date: 
December 12, 2014