Every year, about 35k Americans are diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and the cancer usually has spread beyong the lung by the time it gets detected. The Food and Drug Administration has approved an innovative new treatment for patients with a form of lung cancer. The drug tarlatamab, or Imdelltra, made by company Amgen has received approval for the most deadly form of the disease. It is to be used only when all other options gave been exhausted to treat small cell lung cancer and have a life expectancy of just four to five months. The drug was able to tripled the life expectancy to 14 months.
This FDA approved Amgen’s bispecific T-cell engager tarlatamab, will now carry the brand name Imdelltra for the treatment of extensive-stage small lung cancer in patients having lung cancef progression on or after platinum chemotherapy. This Imedlltra has been approved under the regulator’s accelerated pathway and to maintain this approval, Amgen will need to verify Imedlltra’s clinical benefits in a Phase III confirmatory trial.
The drug has a side effect that can be serious. It may cause cytokine release syndrome. It is an over reaction of the immune system and can cause medical issues like rapid heartbeat, rash, low blood pressure etc. The standard treatment remains chemotherapy combined with immunotherapies but the small cell lung cancer resists the treatment.
Amgen is committed to helping ensure appropriate patients with access to Imdelltra. It is indicated for treatment of patients with extensive stage small cell lung cancer with disease progression on or after platinum based chemotherapy. Its continued approval may be contigent upon description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.
The information shared in this blog is for educational purposes only. For any healthcare needs, you should always consult with your medical practitioner.
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