Just weeks after announcing promising trial data, South San Francisco-based Exelixis ($EXEL) says that the FDA has provided its breakthrough therapy designation for cabozantinib (approved as Cometriq) as a second-line treatment for kidney cancer. CEO Michael M. Morrissey says the BTD--designed to accelerate discussions with regulators--sets the stage for moving up its marketing application for renal cell carcinoma to sometime later this year. Exelixis posted positive progression-free survival data in late July. Release