(RxWiki News) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved a new medication to treat breast cancer.
That medication is called Ibrance (palbociclib). The FDA granted it accelerated approval to treat postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.
Ibrance is meant to be used in combination with another breast cancer medication called letrozole (brand name Femara).
“The addition of palbociclib to letrozole provides a novel treatment option to women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer,” said Richard Pazdur, MD, director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a press release. “The FDA is committed to expediting marketing approval of cancer drugs through our accelerated approval regulations.”
Ibrance appeared safe and effective in a trial of women who had not received treatment for their advanced breast cancer. Breast cancer is a cancer that forms in breast tissue and can spread to surrounding tissues.
Common side effects of Ibrance included fatigue, blood disorders like anemia and neutropenia, nausea, hair loss, diarrhea and nosebleeds.
Pfizer Inc. markets Ibrance.
