FDA approves Boehringer Ingelheim's Gilotrif for non-small cell lung cancer

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new lung cancer drug made by Boehringer Ingelheim, the agency said Friday.

The FDA announced the approval of Gilotrif (afatinib) for patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and whose tumors include certain epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations. The drug works by blocking proteins that promote the development of cancer cells.

According to the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among men and women, with about 228,190 Americans expected to be diagnosed and 159,480 expected to die this year. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85% of cases.

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