Pfizer's lung cancer drug gets FDA approval

(Reuters) – Pfizer Inc said on Thursday that its once-daily oral drug to treat a rare form of lung cancer received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The drug, Vizimpro, will look to treat previously untreated patients with a form of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

As the leading cause of cancer deaths, lung cancer represents the biggest opportunity for companies seeking to exploit the power of modern cancer therapies.

Pfizer said it now has 11 approved cancer treatments across 19 indications.

The study tested Vizimpro’s efficiency and safety in 227 patients suffering from NSCLC. The company said 27 percent of the patients reported adverse events including cough, diarrhea and rashes.

Earlier this year, the FDA had granted the drug a priority review designation, which is given to medicines that may offer significant advances in treatment or may provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists.