Early Tecentriq OK Gives Roche/Genentech Jump On PD-L1 Bladder Cancer Market

19 May 2016

• By Donna Young

By granting an approval four months ahead of schedule of Roche AG's and Genentech Inc.'s anti-PD-LI cancer immunotherapy Tecentriq (atezolizumab), the FDA may have helped the companies secure a better lead in the bladder cancer marketplace than the firms otherwise would have held. But already established immunotherapies, Merck & Co. Inc.'s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and Bristol-Myer Squibb Co.'s Opdivo (nivolumab), are in hot pursuit.

Roche AG and its US unit Genentech Inc. on May 18 gained an earlier-than-expected approval of Tecentriq (atezolizumab), the first and only anti-PD-L1 cancer immunotherapy approved by the FDA for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC), the most common form of bladder cancer.

Tecentriq, which is the first drug approved for mUC in more than three decades and the first targeted therapy for that use, was cleared by the FDA four months ahead of its Sept

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Scrip for daily insights

Start your 7-day free trial
Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
Access comprehensive global coverage
Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

Mission Vision: How Roche Hopes To Impact Eye Health Outcomes In APAC

20 May 2025

• By Anju Ghangurde

Roche Pharmaceuticals’ area head, Asia Pacific, outlines how the Swiss group is helping nurture the wider ecosystem and setting itself up for a bigger play in the ophthalmology space by combining scientific expertise with regional insights.

Apnimed’s AD109 Could Be A Wake-Up Call For Sleep Apnea Market

19 May 2025

• By Joseph Haas

The first of two Phase III trials in obstructive sleep apnea showed Apnimed’s combination pill can offer a therapeutic alternative to entrenched CPAP devices.

First Blood-Based Test Cleared For Alzheimer’s Boosts Anti-Amyloid Drugs

19 May 2025

• By Mandy Jackson

The US FDA approval of Fujirebio’s Lumipulse should boost access to medicines like Eisai’s Leqembi and Lilly’s Kisunla; the firms are praising patients’ access to earlier diagnoses.