Breast Cancer Chemo Drug Ixempra OK'd

Oct. 17, 2007 -- The FDA has approved a new breast cancer chemotherapy drug called Ixempra for the treatment of advanced breast cancer.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., which makes Ixempra, announced the drug's approval in a news release.

Ixempra will be available "within days," states Bristol-Myers Squibb.

The drug company says Ixempra was approved for patients with metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer whose tumors don't respond to other breast cancer chemotherapy drugs.

Ixempra may be used alone or in combination with the chemotherapy drug Xeloda.

According to Bristol-Myers Squibb, the FDA approved Ixempra based on two studies that included nearly 880 patients with advanced beast cancer.

The most common adverse events in those studies included pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Bristol-Myers Squibb recommends caution in using Ixempra in patients with a history of heart disease.

Bristol-Myers Squibb also notes that Ixempra shouldn't be used during pregnancy, and it shouldn't be used with Xeloda in patients with liver problems.