Pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly and Co. is seeking approval from European authorities for use of its drug Alimta as a first-line, or initial, treatment option for non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung cancer. The drug was approved in 2004 as a first-line treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma when given in combination with cisplatin and as a second-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer. Eli Lilly’s application relies on a study that shows that Alimta plus cisplatin is similar in effectiveness to another common cancer treatment but was less toxic to study participants.
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