FDA Oks Pfizer Rare Blood Cancer Drug

The U.S. FDA has green lighted Pfizer's rare blood cancer drug, Besponsa, with a boxed warning.

After failing in a clinical trial evaluating its effectiveness in a subset of non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, Besponsa was found to be effective in treating cancer in patients diagnosed with relapsing or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The boxed warning cautions that patients treated with Besponsa are at a risk of severe liver damage, as well as an increased risk of death for those who take the drug after receiving a specific type of stem cell transplant.

The approval is a win for Pfizer as it looks to establish itself as a leading cancer giant. Besponsa will join the ranks of Pfizer's fast-growing breast cancer drug Ibrance, kidney cancer drug Sutent, and the lung cancer drug Xalkori.

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