The FDA approved GlaxoSmithKline's (NYSE:GSK) oral Hycamtin (topotcan) for the treatment of relapsed small cell lung cancer. The capsules are indicated for patients who had a complete or partial response to chemotherapy and who are at least 45 days from the end of their treatment.
"The approval of HYCAMTIN capsules is particularly important for
patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer as they now have an effective treatment option that has been shown to provide a survival benefit and can be conveniently taken at home," said Debasish Roychowdhury, M.D., Vice President, Global Clinical Development, Oncology Medicine Development Center, GSK.
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) is caused by uncontrollable growth of cancer cells on the bronchi and tends to spread to the rest of the body. Normally chemotherapy is the first line of treatment patients tend to have relapses and a second line of treatment is needed.
Hycamtin will be available in 2008.
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