A Look Back At 2020 FDA Approvals By Cancer Type
Over the year, SURVIVEiT® has updated the Newsroom and social media with FDA approvals and notifications relevant to oncology. In case you missed some of the updates, here is a comprehensive look back at all the FDA approvals and notifications in 2020, sorted by cancer type.
It’s important for cancer patients to remember that not all cancer centers have access to all of the latest tests and treatments. Our new Cancer Navigation Tool can help you find cancer specialists for your unique type of cancer. This tool is helpful whether you’ve been recently diagnosed, or are looking for a way to advocate for yourself and manage your cancer. Access the 5-step personalized planning tool here.
2020 FDA Approvals By Cancer Type
Bladder Cancer
- Approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co. Inc.) for the treatment of patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-unresponsive, high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ (CIS) with or without papillary tumors who are ineligible for or have elected not to undergo cystectomy. (January 2020)
- Approved mitomycin (JELMYTO™, UroGen Pharma) for adult patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (LG-UTUC). (April 2020)
- Approved avelumab (BAVENCIO, EMD Serono, Inc.) for maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) that has not progressed with first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy. (June 2020)
Breast Cancer
- Approved neratinib (NERLYNX, Puma Biotechnology, Inc.) in combination with capecitabine for adult patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2 based regimens in the metastatic setting. (February 2020)
- Approved tucatinib (TUKYSA, Seattle Genetics, Inc.) in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine, for adult patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases, who have received one or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. (April 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to sacituzumab govitecan-hziy (TRODELVY, Immunomedics, Inc.) for adult patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer who received at least two prior therapies for metastatic disease. (April 2020)
- Approved a new fixed-dose combination of pertuzumab, trastuzumab, and hyaluronidase–zzxf (PHESGO, Genentech, Inc.) (June 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co.) in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with locally recurrent unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (CPS ≥10) as determined by an FDA approved test. (November 2020)
- Approved margetuximab-cmkb (MARGENZA, MacroGenics) in combination with chemotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2 regimens, at least one of which was for metastatic disease. (December 16, 2020)
Childhood & Young Adult Cancer
- Approved selumetinib (KOSELUGO, AstraZeneca) for pediatric patients, 2 years of age and older, with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) who have symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PN). (April 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to naxitamab (DANYELZA, Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Inc.) in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) for pediatric patients one year of age and older and adult patients with relapsed or refractory high-risk neuroblastoma in the bone or bone marrow demonstrating a partial response, minor response, or stable disease to prior therapy. (November 2020)
Colorectal Cancer
- Approved encorafenib (BRAFTOVI, Array BioPharma Inc.) in combination with cetuximab for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) with a BRAF V600E mutation, detected by an FDA-approved test, after prior therapy. (April 2020)
- Approved pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck & Co.) for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer. (June 2020)
Esophageal Cancer
- Approved nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) for patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after prior fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based chemotherapy. (June 2020)
Leukemia
- Expanded the indication of ibrutinib (IMBRUVICA, Pharmacyclics LLC) to include its combination with rituximab for the initial treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). (April 2020)
- Extended the indication of gemtuzumab ozogamicin (MYLOTARG, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC) for newly-diagnosed CD33-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to include pediatric patients 1 month and older. (June 2020)
- approved azacitidine tablets (ONUREG, Celgene Corporation) for continued treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia who achieved first complete remission (CR) or complete remission with incomplete blood count recovery (CRi) following intensive induction chemotherapy and are not able to complete intensive curative therapy. (September 2020)
- Grants regular approval to venetoclax in combination for untreated acute myeloid leukemia. (October 2020)
Lung Cancer
- Approved durvalumab (IMFINZI, AstraZeneca) in combination with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). (March 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to capmatinib (TABRECTA, Novartis) for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have a mutation that leads to mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) exon 14 skipping as detected by an FDA-approved test. (May 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to selpercatinib (RETEVMO, Eli Lilly and Company) for the following indications:
- Adult patients with metastatic RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC);
- Adult and pediatric patients ≥12 years of age with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) who require systemic therapy;
- Adult and pediatric patients ≥12 years of age with advanced or metastatic RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory (if radioactive iodine is appropriate). (May 2020)
- Approved the combination of nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) plus ipilimumab (YERVOY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors express PD-L1(≥1%), as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genomic tumor aberrations. (May 2020)
- Approved atezolizumab (TECENTRIQ®, Genentech Inc.) for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have high PD-L1 expression (PD-L1 stained ≥ 50% of tumor cells [TC ≥ 50%] or PD-L1 stained tumor-infiltrating immune cells [IC] covering ≥ 10% of the tumor area [IC ≥ 10%]), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. (May 2020)
- Approved brigatinib (ALUNBRIG, ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc.) for adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA-approved test. (May 2020)
- Approved the combination of nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) plus ipilimumab (YERVOY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genomic tumor aberrations. (May 2020)
- Approved ramucirumab (CYRAMZA, Eli Lilly and Company) in combination with erlotinib for first-line treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 (L858R) mutations. (May 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to lurbinectedin (ZEPZELCA, Pharma Mar S.A.) for adult patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. (June 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to pralsetinib (GAVRETO, Blueprint Medicines Corporation) for adult patients with metastatic RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as detected by an FDA approved test. (September 2020)
- Approved osimertinib (TAGRISSO, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP) for adjuvant therapy after tumor resection in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 19 deletions or exon 21 L858R mutations, as detected by an FDA-approved test. (December 18, 2020
Lymphoma
- Granted accelerated approval to tazemetostat (TAZVERIK, Epizyme, Inc.), an EZH2 inhibitor, for adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) whose tumors are positive for an EZH2 mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test and who have received at least 2 prior systemic therapies, and for adult patients with R/R FL who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options. (June 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to selinexor (XPOVIO, Karyopharm Therapeutics) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma, after at least 2 lines of systemic therapy. (June 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to brexucabtagene autoleucel (TECARTUS, Kite, a Gilead Company), a CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). (July 2020)
- Granted accelerated approval to tafasitamab-cxix (MONJUVI, MorphoSys US Inc.), a CD19-directed cytolytic antibody, indicated in combination with lenalidomide for adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant. (July 2020)
- Extended the approval of pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA®, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.) for the following indications:
- adult patients with relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and
- pediatric patients with refractory cHL, or cHL that has relapsed after 2 or more lines of therapy. (Sepember 2020)
Melanoma
- Approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq, Genentech, Inc.) in combination with cobimetinib and vemurafenib for patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma. (July 2020)
Mesothelioma
- Approved the combination of nivolumab (OPDIVO, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) plus ipilimumab (YERVOY, Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.) as first-line treatment for adult patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. (October 2020)
Myeloma
- Approved isatuximab-irfc (SARCLISA, sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC) in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor. (March 2020)
- Approved daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj (DARZALEX FASPRO, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) for adult patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. This new product allows for subcutaneous dosing of daratumumab. (May 2020)
- Approved belantamab mafodotin-blmf (Blenrep, GlaxoSmithKline) for adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least 4 prior therapies, including an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, a proteasome inhibitor, and an immunomodulatory agent. (August 2020)
- Approved carfilzomib (KYPROLIS, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and daratumumab (DARZALEX, Janssen Biotech, Inc.) in combination with dexamethasone for adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received one to three lines of therapy. (August 2020)
- Approved selinexor (XPOVIO, Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.) in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. (December 18, 2020)
Ovarian Cancer
- Approved niraparib (ZEJULA, GlaxoSmithKline) for the maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in a complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. (April 2020)
- Expanded the indication of olaparib (LYNPARZA®, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP) to include its combination with bevacizumab for first-line maintenance treatment of adult patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and whose cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency positive status defined by either a deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA mutation, and/or genomic instability. (May 2020)
Prostate Cancer
- Granted accelerated approval to rucaparib (RUBRACA, Clovis Oncology, Inc.) for patients with deleterious BRCA mutation (germline and/or somatic)-associated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who have been treated with androgen receptor-directed therapy and a taxane-based chemotherapy. (May 2020)
- Approved olaparib (LYNPARZA, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP) for adult patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), who have progressed following prior treatment with enzalutamide or abiraterone. (May 2020)
- Approved the liquid biopsy next-generation sequencing-based FoundationOne Liquid CDx test (Foundation Medicine, Inc.) as a companion diagnostic to identify mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes in cell free-DNA isolated from plasma specimens from patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) eligible for treatment with rucaparib (RUBRACA, Clovis Oncology, Inc.). (August 2020)
- Approved the first oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist, relugolix, (ORGOVYX, Myovant Sciences, Inc.) for adult patients with advanced prostate cancer. (December 18, 2020)
Sarcoma
- Granted accelerated approval to tazemetostat (TAZVERIK, Epizyme, Inc.) for adults and pediatric patients aged 16 years and older with metastatic or locally advanced epithelioid sarcoma not eligible for complete resection. (January 2020)
- expanded the indication of pomalidomide (POMALYST, Celgene Corporation) to include treating adult patients with AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma after failure of highly active antiretroviral therapy and Kaposi sarcoma in adult patients who are HIV-negative. (May 2020)
Stomach Cancer
- Approved ripretinib (QINLOCK, Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, LLC.), for adult patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) who have received prior treatment with 3 or more kinase inhibitors, including imatinib. (May 2020)
Thyroid Cancer
- Approved pralsetinib (GAVRETO, Blueprint Medicines Corporation) for adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) who require systemic therapy or RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory (if radioactive iodine is appropriate). (December 2020)
Dosing Updates
- Granted accelerated approval to a new dosing regimen of 400 mg every six weeks for pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA, Merck) across all currently approved adult indications, in addition to the current 200 mg every three weeks dosing regimen.