FDA approves new prostate cancer drug

NowPublic reports FDA approves new prostate cancer drug:

Federal regulators on Monday said they have approved the first new drug to treat prostate cancer in four years.

The injectable treatment from privately held Ferring Pharmaceuticals fights the cancer by lowering levels of testosterone, which promotes the growth of tumors in the prostate.

Food and Drug Administration officials said older drugs in the same class can actually increase testosterone production before they begin lowering them. In studies on prostate cancer patients, Ferring showed that its drug, degarelix, does not raise testosterone levels.

According to the FDA, patients treated with degarelix had testosterone levels comparable to those seen after the testes are removed.

Excellent.