An impressive 45 novel drugs have been approved by the FDA in 2017 so far — more than doubling last year’s total. Here were some of the highlights:May 23: The FDA approves the first cancer treatment that’s prescribed based on the genetic characteristics of the disease—not the tumor’s location. About 5% of colorectal tumors have one of these two characteristics, but the defects are also found in other solid tumors, such as breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and prostate cancer. Early successes with CAR-T have prompted researchers around the world to see if they can apply T-cell technology to multiple cancer types, including solid tumors. No doubt 2018 will bring more immuno-oncology advances—and combination treatments designed to outsmart cancer from multiple sides.

Source: Forbes December 21, 2017 15:00 UTC