Eisai's Lenvima granted FDA approval

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved Lenvima (lenvatinib) for the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer. The agency stated that DTC is the most common form of thyroid cancer; it grows on the thyroid gland, which is located in the neck and helps to regulate metabolism. 

 

Nearly 63,000 Americans were diagnosed with thyroid cancer, with 1,890 dying from the disease in 2014, according to data from the National Cancer Institute. Lenvima works by blocking specific proteins from allowing cancerous cells to grow. 

 

The FDA granted the drug priority review and also categorized it as an orphan drug because it treats a rare disease. Lenvima is marketed by Eisai.