The FDA has approved Nexavar for advanced renal cell carcinoma, a common form of kidney cancer. The drug was developed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Onyx Pharmaceuticals. In trials, Nexavar extended the time for tumor progression or death from 84 days to 167 days. The active ingredient in Nexavar--sorafenib--works by inhibiting enzymes that play a role in the growth of tumors.
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ALSO: Despite all the attention commanded by new cancer drugs, experts at the FDA have been worried by the steady slowdown in the pace of new approvals for oncology therapies. The FDA wants to see a commitment to using better science to find better therapies. But so far, most of the new cancer drugs we've been seeing are radically expensive and provide only marginal gains in survival. The most recent approval--Nexavar--underscores the challenges faced by drug makers. Article