Afinitor disperz approved for rare pediatric cancer

August 29, 2012 in Medications

(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Afinitor Disperz (everolimus tablets for oral suspension), the first form of the anti-cancer drug Afinitor to be created especially for children.

The drug was approved for children aged 1 and older who have tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) and an accompanying rare brain tumor, subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA), that cannot be treated with surgery.

TSC is a that often spurs tumors in the brain and other key organs, the FDA said in a news release.

Afinitor Disperz is available in smaller doses than its adult counterpart. It also is meant to dissolve in a small amount of water, making it easier to give to children who can't swallow tablets, the agency said.

The most common side effects observed during clinical testing were mouth ulcers and respiratory infections.

Afinitor has received a number of prior approvals for adults. Both versions of the drug are produced by Novartis, based in East Hanover, N.J.

More information: The FDA has more about this approval.

Copyright © 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

New sleeping pill poised to hit US markets

An experimental sleeping pill from US drug company Merck is effective at helping people fall and stay asleep, according to reviewers at the US Food and Drug Administration, which could soon approve the new drug.

Medications created 11 hours ago | popularity 4 / 5 (4) | comments 0

Global recommendations on child medicine

Transparent information on the evidence supporting global recommendations on paediatric medicines should be easily accessible in order to help policy makers decides on what drugs to include in their national drug lists, according ...

Medications created 12 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Analgesics prescribed more heavily to women than to men, study finds

Regardless of pain, social class or age, a woman is more likely to be prescribed pain-relieving drugs. A study published in Gaceta Sanitaria (Spanish health scientific journal) affirms that this phenomenon is inf ...

Medications created 20 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Breakup of physician, drug company relationship could improve health care, cut cost

A new report suggests that improved health care and significant reductions in drug costs might be attained by breaking up the age-old relationship between physicians and drug company representatives who promote the newest, ...

Medications created May 20, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

FDA has safety concerns on Merck insomnia drug

Federal health regulators say an experimental insomnia drug from Merck can help patients fall asleep, but it also carries worrisome side effects, including daytime drowsiness and suicidal thinking.

Medications created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


Study says empathy plays a key role in moral judgments

Is it permissible to harm one to save many? Those who tend to say "yes" when faced with this classic dilemma are likely to be deficient in a specific kind of empathy, according to a report published in the scientific journal ...

Phthalates: Study links chemicals widely found in plastics, processed food to elevated blood pressure in children, teens

Plastic additives known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are odorless, colorless and just about everywhere: They turn up in flooring, plastic cups, beach balls, plastic wrap, intravenous tubing and—according to the ...

If you can remember it, you can remember it wrong

(Medical Xpress)—Native peoples in regions where cameras are uncommon sometimes react with caution when their picture is taken. The fear that something must have been stolen from them to create the photo ...

B vitamins could delay dementia

(Medical Xpress)—Despite spending billions of dollars on research and development, drug companies have been unable to come up with effective treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Now, A. ...

Insight into the dazzling impact of insulin in cells

Australian scientists have charted the path of insulin action in cells in precise detail like never before. This provides a comprehensive blueprint for understanding what goes wrong in diabetes.

Reducing caloric intake delays nerve cell loss

Activating an enzyme known to play a role in the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction delays the loss of brain cells and preserves cognitive function in mice, according to a study published in the May ...