Press Announcements > FDA approves first biosimilar for the treatment of certain breast and stomach cancers

Press Announcements > FDA approves first biosimilar for the treatment of certain breast and stomach cancers

	The Division of Drug Information (DDI) - serving the public by providing information on human drug products and drug product regulation by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Ogivri (trastuzumab-dkst) as a biosimilar to Herceptin (trastuzumab) for the treatment of patients with breast or metastatic stomach cancer (gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma) whose tumors overexpress the HER2 gene (HER2+). Ogivri is the first biosimilar approved in the U.S. for the treatment of breast cancer or stomach cancer and the second biosimilar approved in the U.S. for the treatment of cancer.

As with any treatment, health care professionals should review the prescribing information in the labeling for detailed information about the approved uses.

Common expected side effects of Ogivri for the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer include headache, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, infection, congestive heart failure, difficulty sleeping (insomnia), cough and rash. Common expected side effects of Ogivri for the treatment of HER2+ metastatic stomach cancer include low levels of certain white blood cells (neutropenia), diarrhea, fatigue, low levels of red blood cells (anemia), inflammation of the mouth (stomatitis), weight loss, upper respiratory tract infections, fever, low levels of blood platelets (thrombocytopenia), swelling of the mucous membranes (mucosal inflammation), common cold (nasopharyngitis) and unusual taste sensation (dysgeusia). Serious expected side effects of Ogivri include worsening of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Like Herceptin, the labeling for Ogivri contains a Boxed Warning to alert health care professionals and patients about increased risks of heart disease (cardiomyopathy), infusions reactions, lung damage (pulmonary toxicity) and harm to a developing fetus (embryo-fetal toxicity). Patients should stop taking Ogivri if cardiomyopathy, life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), swelling below the skin (angioedema), inflammation of the lungs (interstitial pneumonitis) or fluid in the lungs (acute respiratory distress syndrome) occur. Patients should be advised of the potential risk to a developing fetus and to use effective contraception.

For more information, please visit: Ogivri.