The FDA has approved Pfizer’s new drug, Daurismo, for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The medication is indicated for patients over 75 who can’t be treated with intensive chemotherapy.
The approval for Daurismo, a once-daily oral medication, was based on positive phase 2 study results. Daurismo is designed to be used in combination with low-dose cytarabine chemo and will face competition in the market from other recently approved medications developed by Roche and AbbVie. In fact, seven new treatments have been green lighted for AML since 2017. Prior to the recent string of approvals, intensive chemo was the standard course of treatment for AML.
The approval of Daurismo also marks the fourth win for Pfizer’s oncology unit in the past few months. The company’s other recent approvals include two treatments for non-small cell lung cancer and a medication for breast cancer. Although none of the drugs are expected to reach blockbuster status, the approvals are good news for Pfizer, which is anticipating intense generics competition for its top-selling drug Lyrica to start next year.
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