Everolimus Approved for Advanced Kidney Cancer

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved everolimus (Afinitor) oral tablets for the treatment of patients with advanced kidney cancer whose disease has progressed after treatment with other cancer therapies. Everolimus is intended for patients with advanced renal cell cancer who have already tried another kinase inhibitor (sunitinib [Sutent] or sorafenib [Nexavar]).

A clinical trial studying the safety and effectiveness of everolimus was discontinued after an interim analysis showed that, in patients receiving the drug, the growth or spread of the tumor was delayed, compared to patients who did not receive the drug. Disease progression was also delayed about 5 months in half of the patients who received everolimus, vs 2 months in patients who did not receive the drug.