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`Press Announcements > FDA Expands Use of Approved Breast Cancer Drug
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`FDA NEWS RELEASE
`
`For Immediate Release: Jan. 29, 2010
`Media Inquiries: Erica Jefferson, 3017964988, erica.jefferson@fda.hhs.gov
`Consumer Inquiries: 888INFOFDA
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`
`FDA Expands Use of Approved Breast Cancer Drug
`Provides oral regime for hormone positive and HER2positive advanced breast cancer
`
`The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Tykerb (lapatinib) in combination with Femara
`(letrozole) to treat hormone positive and HER2positive advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women
`for whom hormonal therapy is indicated.
`HER2 is a protein involved in normal cell growth. It is found on some types of cancer cells, including breast
`cancer cells. In hormone positive breast cancer, the presence of certain hormones contributes to breast
`cancer growth. In HER2positive breast cancer, stimulation of the HER2 receptor contributes to cancer cell
`growth. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women. More than 192,000 women will
`be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
`“This drug combination of Tykerb plus Femara provides women being treated for advanced breast cancer
`with an important treatment option. This entirely oral treatment regimen works by targeting both HER2 and
`the hormone receptors, thereby slowing the cancer cells’ ability to grow or spread,” said Richard Pazdur,
`M.D., director of the Office of Oncology Drug Products, in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and
`Research.
`Women with HER2positive disease receiving the Tykerb plus Femara combination more than doubled the
`time they lived without the cancer progressing compared with those receiving Femara alone (35 weeks vs.
`13 weeks). Women in the company sponsored study were randomized to receive Tykerb plus Femara or
`Femara alone. It is too early to determine whether an improvement in overall survival will be observed in the
`clinical trial.
`Tykerb works by depriving tumor cells of signals needed to grow. Tykerb enters the cell and blocks the
`function of the HER2 protein.
`Tykerb was initially approved in combination with a chemotherapy drug, Xeloda (capecitabine) in 2007. This
`combination was used to treat women with advanced breast cancer tumors with the HER2 protein who had
`received prior treatment with chemotherapy drugs, including an anthracycline and a taxane, and Herceptin
`(trastuzumab), an anticancer antibody used to treat HER2positive advanced breast cancer.
`Safety information from this study was consistent with previous Tykerb clinical studies in advanced breast
`cancer. The most commonly reported side effects of the combination were diarrhea, rash, nausea and
`fatigue. Treatment with Tykerb also has been associated with decreases in heart function, liver damage,
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`Press Announcements > FDA Expands Use of Approved Breast Cancer Drug
`12/18/2014
`and lung tissue inflammation. Fetal harm may occur if used to treat advanced breast cancer in pregnant
`women. Patients should talk to their health care provider about the potential side effects, drug interactions,
`and other medical conditions.
`
`Tykerb is marketed by Collegeville, Pa.based GlaxoSmithKline.
`Femara is marketed by Lebanon, Pa.based Novartis AG.
`
`For more information:
`
`FDA Office of Oncology Drug Products
`http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/CentersOffices/CDER/ucm091745.htm13
`
`National Cancer Institute – Breast Cancer
`http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast14
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`Press Announcements > FDA Expands Use of Approved Breast Cancer Drug
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