Imfinzi, a drug manufactured by AstraZeneca, has been approved by the FDA for treatment of early-stage, non-small cell lung cancer in combination with chemotherapy.
The approval comes after clinical trial results that saw a 32% reduction in recurrence risk, progression and death in patients using Imfinizi combined with chemotherapy compared to patients receiving chemotherapy alone, according to an Aug. 16 news release from AstraZeneca.
"This approval brings an important new treatment option that should become a backbone combination approach for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer," John Heymach, MD, PhD, professor and chair of thoracic/head and neck medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, said in the release.
Imfinzi also is approved for use in the U.K., Switzerland and Taiwan, the release said.