(RxWiki News) The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Gilotrif (afatinib) to treat squamous cell lung cancer.
Boehringer Ingelheim's Gilotrif is approved for those with advanced squamous cell lung cancer (SqCC) that has progressed despite treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy.
Gilotrif was already approved for those who have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a certain type of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation.
Gilotrif's recent approval offers a new treatment option for a disease that is typically associated with a poor prognosis.
In a clinical trial, Gilotrif demonstrated a delay in the progression of lung cancer, an improvement in overall survival and an improvement in the control rate of lung cancer, according to a company-issued press release.
Common side effects reported with Gilotrif were diarrhea, rash or acne, mouth sores, decreased appetite and nausea.
