Alimta gets a new approval in first-line non-small cell lung cancer with specific histologies
This week, Lilly received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of Alimta (pemetrexed), in combination with cisplatin, in the first-line treatment of locally-advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for patients with non squamous histology. Alimta is not indicated for treatment of patients with squamous cell non-small cell lung cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer (small cell and non-small cell) is the second most common cancer in both men (after prostate cancer) and women (after breast cancer). It accounts for about 15% of all new cancers. During 2008, there will be about 215,020 new cases of lung cancer (114,690 among men and 100,330 among women).