This week in oncology news, the FDA granted many new designations to several agents and regimens for the potential treatment of patients with cancer. This includes the approval of atezolizumab (Tecentriq) immunotherapy in addition to the BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination vemurafenib (Zelboraf) plus cobimetinib (Cotellic) for the treatment of patients with advanced BRAF V600E–mutated advanced melanoma. Tafasitamab-cxix (Monjuvi) was also approved in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specific, including disease arising from low-grade lymphoma, and patients who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant.

In other FDA news, Fast Track designations were granted to treatments for patients with advanced melanoma, adult patients with EGFR/HER2-positive solid tumors; Breakthrough Therapy designations to patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, renal cell carcinoma, and EGFR-positive non–small cell lung cancer; and an Orphan Drug designation for patients with pancreatic cancer.

View all the FDA news from the month of July 2020 in the monthly recap.

These updates and others were trending this week:

FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to BDTX-189 in EGFR/HER2-Mutant Solid Tumors

The FDA granted Fast Track designation to BDTX-189 for the treatment of adult patients with solid tumors harboring an allosteric HER2 mutation or an EGFR or HER2 exon 20 insertion.

Pembrolizumab Plus Nab-Paclitaxel May Be an Option for Switch Maintenance Following Chemo in mUC

In the phase 2 PEANUT study, salvage pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) demonstrated clinically meaningful and sustainable responses, as well as prolonged progression-free survival as treatment of patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

FDA Grants Fast Track Designation to CMP-001 Combination in Advanced Melanoma

The FDA granted a Fast Track designation to CMP-001 in combination with nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy) as treatment of patients with unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma.

FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to Zenocutuzumab as Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

The FDA granted an Orphan Drug designation to zenocutuzumab (MCLA-128) for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer.

Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Reduces Rate of Relapse in Patients With Waldenström Macroglobulinemia

Both autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation and allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation were effective as treatment of patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia, inducing a 2-fold lower relapse rate in a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Dr. Ghobrial Discusses the Importance of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's CureCloud Study

Irene Ghobrial, MD, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the importance of the data made available through the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation’s CureCloud research study.

Targeted Therapy in Early-Stage HER2+ Breast Cancer

Experts from Sarah Cannon Research Institute talk about the expanding role of targeted treatment options in early HER2-positive breast cancer.

Special Feature: COVID-19 Update

Survey Finds Changes to Physician–Patient Communication During COVID-19

A survey by MJH Life Science reveals how patient communication has evolved across clinical practices in the wake of COVID-19.

Recommendations for Managing Patients With Lung Cancer During COVID-19 Era

A group of experts shared recommendations for managing patients with lung cancer in the most optimal way during the COVID-19 pandemic.