US FDA approves Bayer’s drug for follicular lymphoma

The drug, Aliqopa, known also as copanlisib, is a kinase inhibitor that blocks certain enzymes that promote cell growth

The US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has approved Bayer’s treatment for follicular lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph system. The drug, Aliqopa, known also as copanlisib, is a kinase inhibitor that blocks certain enzymes that promote cell growth. It is designed for patients who have received at least two prior treatments.

Follicular lymphoma is a slow-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. An estimated 72,240 people in the US will be diagnosed with some form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma this year.

The FDA granted Aliqopa accelerated approval, meaning clinical data suggests it will be beneficial, but further trials will be needed to prove that. In a trial of 104 patients, 59 per cent experienced a complete or partial shrinkage of their tumours for a median 12.2 months.