Novartis ribociclib only Category 1 preferred first-line treatment option for HR+/HER2- mBC in combination with an AI in updated NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

East Hanover, March 28, 2023 — Updates to the NCCN Guidelines® for breast cancer, released in January 2023, recommend ribociclib (Kisqali®) as the only Category 1 preferred CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) for first-line treatment of patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC) when combined with an aromatase inhibitor (AI). This recommendation indicates high levels of clinical evidence and uniform consensus among NCCN on ribociclib (Kisqali) as an appropriate treatment.

NCCN Guidelines also continue to recommend ribociclib (Kisqali) plus fulvestrant as a Category 1 preferred regimen for first- and subsequent-line therapies* in HR+/HER2- mBC.

The latest NCCN Guidelines recommend ribociclib (Kisqali) for demonstrating significant overall survival (OS) benefit in combination with various endocrine therapies across three Phase III MONALEESA trials in HR+/HER2- mBC and uniquely in combination with an AI in the first-line setting in MONALEESA-2. These recent updates to the guidelines reinforce key distinctions among the CDK4/6i in mBC, driving the potential to enhance patient access to the latest evidence-based care and to improve outcomes.

In addition to consistently demonstrating statistically significant OS benefit, Kisqali preserved or improved patients’ quality of life in all three Phase III MONALEESA trials.

For more information read the Novartis announcement.

Posted 5/4/2023

FDA Approves Enfortumab Vedotin-ejfv + Pembrolizumab for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma

On April 3, U.S the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to enfortumab vedotin-ejfv with pembrolizumab for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who are ineligible for cisplatin-containing chemotherapy.

For more information read the FDA announcement, the Merck announcement and the Seagen announcement. 

Posted 4/3/2023

FDA Approves Pembrolizumab as Adjuvant Treatment for NSCLC

On January 26, 2023, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab for adjuvant treatment following resection and platinum-based chemotherapy for stage IB (T2a ≥4 cm), II, or IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

For more information read the FDA announcement and the Merck announcement. 

Posted 1/27/2023

GSK Shares Plans to Voluntarily Withdraw Niraparib

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is planning to voluntarily withdraw the indication of niraparib for treatment of adult patients with advanced ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who have been treated with three or more prior chemotherapy regimens and whose cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency positive status.

For more information read the GSK letter.

Posted 9/7/2022

CMS Delays Radiation Oncology Model For Further Rulemaking

On August 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule (CMS-5527-F2) that finalized delaying the Radiation Oncology Model start date until a date is determined through future rulemaking.

For more information, visit the Radiation Oncology Model website.

Posted 8/30/2022

FDA Approves Ibrutinib for Pediatric Patients with Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease

On August 24, 2022, the U.S  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ibrutinib for the treatment of pediatric patients one year and older with chronic graft-versus-host disease after failure of one or more lines of systemic therapy. 

For more information, read the FDA announcement. 

Posted 8/25/2022

FDA Approves Capmatinib for Metastatic NSCLC

On August 10, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted regular approval to capmatinib for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors have a mutation leading to mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) exon 14 skipping, as detected by an FDA-approved test.

For more information, read the FDA announcement.

Posted 8/15/2022

Important Update: Olaparib in 4th Line Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

FDA Approves Tablet Formulation of Acalabrutinib

On August 5, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration approved new tablet formulation of acalabrutinib (Calquence, AstraZeneca) under accelerated approval based on overall response rate for all current indications, including adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic lymphoma, and patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma.

Read full press release. 

Posted on 08/05/2022

BMS Launches DDiCT Initiative to Improve Healthcare Outcomes for People with Disabilities

FDA Approves Crizotinib for ALK-Positive Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor

FDA Approves Lisocabtagene Maraleucel for Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma

• Refractory disease to first-line chemoimmunotherapy or relapse within 12 months of first-line chemoimmunotherapy
• Refractory disease to first-line chemoimmunotherapy or relapse after first-line chemoimmunotherapy and are not eligible for hematopoietic stem cell transplant due to comorbidities or age.
  

FDA Approves Two Nivolumab-Based Regimens for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

On May 27, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved both nivolumab in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy and nivolumab plus ipilimumab as a first-line treatment for adult patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma regardless of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) status. 

For more information, read Bristol Myers Squibb's announcement.

Posted 5/31/2022

FDA Approves Tisagenlecleucel for R/R Follicular Lymphoma

On May 28, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to tisagenlecleucel for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma after two or more lines of systemic therapy.

For more information, read Novartis' announcement.

Posted 5/31/2022

FDA Approves Lutetium Lu 177 Vipivotide Tetraxetan for Prostate Cancer

On March 23, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan for the treatment of adult patients with prostate-specific membrane antigen-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have been treated with androgen receptor pathway inhibition and taxane-based chemotherapy. 

Read the FDA announcement.

Read Novartis' announcement.

Posted 3/24/2022

FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for Advanced Endometrial Carcinoma

FDA approves nivolumab and relatlimab-rmbw for melanoma

FDA Approves Nivolumab in Combination for Early-Stage NSCLC

FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for IIB or IIC Melanoma Following Complete Resection

On December 3, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Keytruda^® (pembrolizumab) for the adjuvant treatment of adult and pediatric (greater than or equal to 12 years of age) patients with stage IIB or IIC melanoma following complete resection. 

Read the FDA announcement.

Read Merck's announcement.

Posted 12/6/2021

FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for Adjuvant Treatment of Renal Cell Carcinoma

On November 17, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab for the adjuvant treatment of patients with renal cell carcinoma at intermediate-high or high risk of recurrence following nephrectomy or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions.

Read the FDA announcement.

Read Merck's announcement.

Posted 11/18/2021