FDA Approves AstraZeneca's Imfinzi for Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

According to the Zhisheng Finance APP, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Wednesday that it has approved AstraZeneca's (AZN.US) blockbuster drug Imfinzi for the treatment of some adults with limited-stage small cell lung cancer. The treatment, chemically known as durvalumab, is approved for patients whose disease has not worsened after receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Imfinzi is a human monoclonal antibody that blocks the ability of tumors to evade and suppress the immune system while enhancing the body's anti-cancer immune response, providing an alternative to toxic chemotherapy.

In a late-stage trial, the drug showed a statistically significant improvement in overall survival compared to the placebo control group.

Small cell lung cancer is a highly aggressive type of lung cancer. Despite an initial response to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, it often recurs and progresses rapidly, with only 15% to 30% of patients surviving five years after diagnosis.

Imfinzi has been approved for the treatment of various types of cancer, including extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, biliary tract cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer.