Bristol-Myers Gets FDA Approval for Expanded Taxol Use
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Reuters
WASHINGTON (Oct. 27) - Taxol, the world's most widely used cancer drug, has
won federal approval for treating patients with early-stage breast cancer,
maker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. said Wednesday.
Taxol already had the Food and Drug Administration's blessing for fighting
some advanced breast cancers and lung and ovarian cancers. The drug had 1998
sales of $1.2 billion.
The FDA has now approved Taxol as part of chemotherapy following surgery for
patients with breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes but no
further, according to Bristol-Myers spokesman John Kouten.
``It will have a significant impact on how women with this stage of cancer
are treated,'' Kouten said.
Breast cancer is one of the top cancer killers of women in the United States,
second only to lung cancer.
Taxol, known generically as paclitaxel, was originally developed from
compounds found in the Pacific yew tree. The drug's possible side effects
include neutropenia, a potentially dangerous drop in some white blood cells.
Drug industry analysts said the expansion of approved uses would help
strengthen Taxol's position as the number one cancer drug but was not
expected to have a major sales impact.
``This approval again adds to the depth and breadth of Taxol,'' Gruntal and
Co. analyst David Saks said. ``... The drug has become ubiquitous in
chemotherapy.''
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