New Chemotherapy Drug Approved for Prostate Cancer

The FDA recently approved Jevtana, a new chemotherapy drug designed to be used in conjunction with the hormone prednisone to treat men with advanced prostate cancer.

Few treatment options exist for men with advanced prostate cancer and any new addition welcome.  The FDA approved Jevtana in an expedited review that cleared the drug for sale nearly 3 months before the drug's maker - Sanofi-Aventis of France - was expecting approval.

Jevtana was approved after a study of over 700 men with advanced prostate cancer showed an increased survival rate for men taking the Jevtana/prednisone combination over mitoxantrone (an older chemotherapy drug).