Pfizer Inc. announced recently that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a treatment for patients with renal cell carcinoma.
Inlyta, which is a kinase inhibitor, was approved for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who have already undergone a first-line treatment for the disease. The approval of the drug came after the Phase 3 trial showed extended progression free survival for an average of 6.7 months.
"Even with the advent of targeted therapies, the need remains for additional options for patients with advanced RCC whose disease has progressed following first-line medications," said Dr. Mace Rothenberg, senior vice president of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs at Pfizer Oncology Business Unit. "Inlyta is the first targeted therapy to be approved in the U.S. for patients with advanced RCC after failure of one prior systemic therapy based on data demonstrating superior progression-free survival when compared to another FDA-approved, targeted agent."
According to the National Cancer Institute, it was estimated that 60,920 men and women would be diagnosed with cancer of the kidney and renal pelvis and 13,000 people would die of advanced RCC in the United States in 2011. With numbers being so high, Americans who think ahead might secure life insurance for a measure of peace of mind.