FDA approves third indication for Lilly's Cyramza

The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday expanded the approved use of pharma major Eli Lilly’s (NYSE: LLY) Cyramza (ramucirumab) to treat patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), making this the third indication for the drug.

Lilly is also studying Cyramza, which analysts have forecast could generate annual sales of $1.4 billion by 2020, in other cancer types including liver and colorectal cancers.

“Today’s approval is the third indication that Cyramza has received in 2014,” said Richard Pazdur, director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, adding: “The commitment to study Cyramza in a variety of malignancies provides important treatment options to patients.”