Wyeth’s New Kidney Cancer Drug Torisel™, Approved by the FDA

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals’ new kidney cancer drug Torisel™ (temsirolimus) has recently been approved by the FDA for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma – a type of advanced kidney cancer.

Torisel™ is an enzyme inhibitor (mTOR inhibitor to be exact) whose FDA approval came following results of prolonged survival in renal cell carcinoma patients.

According to Dr. Steven Galson, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research:

“We have made significant advances in the battle against kidney cancer. Torisel is the third drug approved for this indication in the past 18 months, and one that shows an increased time in survival for some patients.”

Study results demonstrating the efficacy of Torisel™ in renal cell carcinoma patients have just been published in the May 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

Find more details from Wyeth’s press release.