FDA approves axicabtagene ciloleucel (escarta) for the treatment of the patients with follicular lymphoma

March 5, 2021

Today, the FDA has granted an accelerated approval to axicabtagene ciloleucel (Axi-Cel, Yescarta) for the treatment of the patients with follicular lymphoma whose cancer has progressed after two or more lines of treatment.

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Axi-Cel is another chimeric antigen-receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy which targets the protein called CD-19 in cancer cells, and has been already approved for the treatment of large B- cell lymphomas in May 2020.

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The follicular lymphoma patients who had more than two prior therapies have the 5-year survival rate only at 20%, and thus there is a highly unmet need for more efficacious therapies for those who had multiple lines of systemic therapy.

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According to the data from phase 2 ZUMA-5 trial (NCI03105336), 91% of the patients responded to Axi-Cel, with 60 % of them showing complete remission. Among those who showed the complete remission, 74% of the patients continued to have a remission of cancer at 18 months.

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These data from the ZUMA-5 trial are just incredible!

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The ZUMA-5 trial (NCI03105336) is still recruiting patients with follicular lymphoma or marginal zone lymphoma. To check your eligibility, please speak with your oncologist or contact at minji@MJpatientadvocate.com.