ASCO in Action

ASCO in Action provides the latest news and analysis related to critical policy issues affecting the cancer community, updates on the Association for Clinical Oncology’s ongoing advocacy efforts, and opportunities for members and others in the cancer care community to take action.

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Showing results for Cancer Drugs, 2023

October 24, 2023

On October 24, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved ivosidenib (Tibsovo, Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with a susceptible isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test.

October 23, 2023

On October 20, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to entrectinib (Rozlytrek, Genentech Inc.) for pediatric patients older than 1 month with solid tumors that have a neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) gene fusion without a known acquired resistance mutation, are metastatic or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and have progressed following treatment or have no satisfactory standard therapy. In August 2019, FDA granted accelerated approval to entrectinib for pediatric patients 12 years of age and older for this indication.

October 17, 2023

On October 16, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda, Merck) with platinum-containing chemotherapy as neoadjuvant treatment, and with continuation of single-agent pembrolizumab as post-surgical adjuvant treatment for resectable (tumors ≥4 cm or node positive) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 

October 16, 2023

On October 13, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved nivolumab (Opdivo, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company) for the adjuvant treatment of completely resected Stage IIB/C melanoma in patients 12 years and older.

October 12, 2023

On October 11, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved encorafenib (Braftovi, Array BioPharma Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer) with binimetinib (Mektovi, Array BioPharma Inc.) for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a BRAF V600E mutation, as detected by an FDA-approved test.

September 27, 2023

On September 26, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved bosutinib (Bosulif, Pfizer) for pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with chronic phase (CP) Ph+ chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) that is newly diagnosed (ND) or resistant or intolerant (R/I) to prior therapy. The FDA also approved a new capsule dosage form available in strengths of 50 mg and 100 mg.

September 14, 2023

On September 14, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated labeling for temozolomide (Temodar, Merck) under Project Renewal, an Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) initiative aimed at updating labeling information for older oncology drugs to ensure information is clinically meaningful and scientifically up-to-date. This is the second drug to receive a labeling update under this pilot program. The first drug that received approval under Project Renewal was capecitabine (Xeloda). 

September 14, 2023

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing today on several bills aimed at addressing the ongoing U.S. drug shortage crisis. Many of the bills contain provisions the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) supports as effective means to mitigate and prevent drug shortages and promote a more resilient supply chain in the future. 

September 12, 2023

The Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is continuing to work advocating for solutions to the cancer drug shortage crisis. ASCO responded to a Request for Information from House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo, and subsequently provided feedback on a discussion draft of potential legislation addressing drug shortages. The Association’s comments noted the meaningful progress toward addressing the root causes of drug shortages and offered specific feedback on proposals.

August 15, 2023

On August 14, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved HEPZATO KIT (melphalan for Injection/Hepatic Delivery System) containing melphalan (HEPZATO, Delcath Systems, Inc.) as a liver-directed treatment for adult patients with uveal melanoma with unresectable hepatic metastases affecting less than 50% of the liver and no extrahepatic disease, or extrahepatic disease limited to the bone, lymph nodes, subcutaneous tissues, or lung that is amenable to resection or radiation.

August 14, 2023

On August 14, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to elranatamab-bcmm (Elrexfio, Pfizer, Inc.), a bispecific B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. 

August 14, 2023

On August 11, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved the fixed dose combination of niraparib and abiraterone acetate (Akeega, Janssen Biotech, Inc.), with prednisone, for adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA-mutated castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), as determined by an FDA-approved test. 

August 10, 2023

On August 9, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to talquetamab-tgvs (Talvey, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.

August 9, 2023

September 6-7, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) are holding a free virtual workshop ondose optimization, a critical issue in oncology and in improving the quality of life for patients with cancer. This timely FDA-ASCO workshop will bring together thought leaders and others from academia, industry, regulatory agencies, and patient groups to discuss challenges and opportunities to improve dose selection for patients, specifically for combination therapies.

August 9, 2023

On August 9, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration granted regular approval to pralsetinib (Gavreto, Genentech, Inc.) for adult patients with metastatic rearranged during transfection (RET) fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test. 

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