Eli Lilly and Co. reports that the Committee for Medicinal Products, an advisory panel to European regulators, has recommended that its drug Alimta, which has shown promise in the treatment of asbestos-related mesothelioma, be approved for use as a first-line lung cancer treatment in advanced cases. First-line treatments are initial cancer treatments, while second-line treatments are used as a back-up when initial treatments are unsuccessful or inadequate. Eli Lilly is hopeful that the committee recommendation will convince the European Medicines Agency to formally approve Alimta for first-line treatment of advanced lung cancer. Alimta has already been approved for treatment of mesothelioma and for second-line treatment of lung cancer. The United States is also considering whether to approve Alimta for first-line use against advanced non-small cell lung cancer.
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