GSK drug approved for kidney cancer treatment

PHILADELPHIA The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new drug from GlaxoSmithKline to treat advanced kidney cancer.

The FDA announced the approval of Votrient (pazopanib) treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma designed to be taken once a day. The approval is based on phase-3 trial data showing that the drug reduced the risk of tumor progression or cancer-related death by 54% compared to placebo.

“RCC is the most common malignancy of the kidney and is highly resistant to chemotherapy,” GSK Oncology R&D Unit SVP Paolo Paoletti said in a statement. “While treatment has improved in the past few years with the introduction of targeted therapies, advanced RCC remains a challenging disease.”

RCC affects more than 57,000 people and kills 13,000 in the United States every year.