Lilly's Oncology Drug Cyramza Scores FDA Approval For Another Indication

Lilly's Oncology Drug Cyramza Scores FDA Approval For Another Indication

Eli Lilly and Co.'s (LLY: Quote) oncology drug Cyramza received FDA approval on Friday for yet another indication - this time, to treat patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with chemotherapy drug Docetaxel.

The approval was based on clinical study results, which showed that half of the participants treated with Cyramza plus Docetaxel survived an average of 10.5 months from the start of treatment, compared to an average of 9.1 months from the start of treatment for half of the participants who received placebo plus Docetaxel.

Cyramza as a single agent was approved by FDA on April 21, 2014 to treat patients with advanced stomach cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GEJ), after prior chemotherapy.

Last month, the FDA expanded Cyramza's use to treat patients with advanced gastric or GEJ adenocarcinoma in combination with Paclitaxel, another chemotherapy drug.

Eli Lilly's Cyramza was discovered using Dyax Corp.'s (DYAX: Quote) LFRP (Licensing and Funded Research Portfolio) platform. Dyax, which is entitled to receive a net royalty of 2.5% on the first ten years of commercial sales of Cyramza, recognized its first royalty revenue beginning in the third quarter 2014.