Pfizer's Sutent Approved By FDA For Treating Rare Type Of Pancreatic Cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Sutent (sunitinib) to treat patients with progressive neuroendocrine cancerous tumors located in the pancreas that cannot be removed by surgery or that have spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).

Neuroendocrine tumors found in the pancreas are slow-growing and rare. It is estimated that there are fewer than 1,000 new cases in the United States each year.

This is the second new approval by the FDA to treat patients with this disease; on May 5, the agency approved Afinitor (everolimus).

“FDA believes it is important to provide cancer patients with as many treatment options as possible,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the Office of Oncology Drug Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “The agency is committed to working with companies to bring innovative new therapies to the market and encourages companies to continue exploring additional uses for approved products.”

The safety and effectiveness of Sutent was established in a single study of 171 patients with metastatic (late-stage) or locally advanced (disease that could not be removed with surgery) disease who received Sutent or a placebo (sugar pill). The study was designed to measure the length of time a patient lived before their disease spread or worsened (progression-free survival).

Results from the study demonstrate that Sutent provided benefit to patients by prolonging the median length of time they lived without the cancer spreading or worsening to 10.2 months compared to 5.4 months for patients who received placebo.

In patients treated with Sutent for neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors, the most commonly reported side effects included diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, anorexia, high blood pressure, energy loss (asthenia), stomach (abdominal) pain, changes in hair color, inflammation of the mouth (stomatitis), and a decrease in infection-fighting white blood cells (neutropenia).

Sutent is also FDA-approved to treat patients with late-stage kidney cancer (metastatic renal cell carcinoma) and to treat patients with GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumor), a rare cancer of the stomach, bowel, or esophagus.

Sutent is marketed by New York City-based Pfizer.

Afinitor (Everolimus) Approved By FDA To Treat Rare Type Of Pancreatic Cancer

FDA approves new treatment for rare type of pancreatic cancer

On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Afinitor (everolimus) to treat patients with progressive neuroendocrine tumors located in the pancreas (PNET) that cannot be removed by surgery or that have spread to other parts of the body (metastatic). 

Neuroendocrine tumors found in the pancreas are slow-growing and rare. It is estimated that there are fewer than 1,000 new cases in the United States each year.

“Patients with this cancer have few effective treatment options,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., director of the Office of Oncology Drug Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Afinitor has demonstrated the ability to slow the growth and spread of neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas.”

The safety and effectiveness of Afinitor was established a clinical trial in 410 patients with metastatic (late-stage) or locally advanced (disease that could not be removed with surgery) disease. Patients in the study were selected to receive Afinitor or placebo (sugar pill). The trial was designed to measure the length of time a patient lived before their disease spread or worsened (progression-free survival).

In patients treated with Afinitor, the median length of time they lived without the cancer spreading or worsening was 11 months compared with 4.6 months in patients who received placebo. Patients who received placebo were able to receive Afinitor if their disease worsened. 

In patients treated with Afinitor for neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors, the most commonly reported side effects included inflammation of the mouth (stomatitis), rash, diarrhea, fatigue, swelling (edema), stomach (abdominal) pain, nausea, fever, and headache.

Afinitor is also approved to treat patients with kidney cancer (advanced renal cell carcinoma) after they fail treatment with Sutent (sunitinib) or Nexavar (sorafenib); and  patients with subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (a type of brain cancer) associated with tuberous sclerosis (a disease that causes tumors in various parts of the body), who cannot be treated by surgery.  

Afinitor has another trade name, Zortress, and is approved to treat certain adult patients to prevent organ rejection after a kidney transplant. Zortress has a different safety profile in these patients. 

Afinitor is marketed by East Hanover, N.J.-based Novartis.

For more information:

FDA: Office of Oncology Drug Products

FDA: Approved Drugs: Questions and Answers

NCI: Pancreatic Cancer