FDA approved more than 50 cancer drugs in two years, study says

ROCKVILLE, Md. The Office of Oncology Drug Products at the Food and Drug Administration approved more than 50 treatments for cancer between July 2005 and the end of 2007, according to a new study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

According to the study, appearing in the Feb. 24 issue of the journal, the office –– part of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research –– approved 18 new drugs and 35 already-approved drugs for new cancer indications, including pharmaceuticals and biologics. Cancer types included those affecting the breasts, lungs, colon, kidney, head, neck and blood.

“Our reviews during this period focused on approving new or existing treatments based on treatment effect, patients safety and the treatment’s risk-benefit profile,” lead author and acting division director of the CDER’s Office of Biostatistics Rajeshwari Sridhara stated. “We also considered the patient populations in need of additional treatment options, existing treatments and whether this was a new molecular entity.”