The anticancer therapy is now available in 21-count bottles to help accommodate dispensing.
Stivarga (regorafenib) is now available in four 21-count bottles, replacing the previous packaging of three 28-count bottles. Bayer introduced the new packaging to improve pharmacist experiences and provide flexibility for patients to have multiple dosing regimens. Bayer worked closely with the FDA to update the packaging so that it aligns with a clinically supported dose escalation strategy that helps to ensure more patients reach the third cycle of treatment by starting with a lower dose.
Stivarga, a kinase inhibitor, was approved in April 2017 for use in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who have been previously treated with Nexavar (sorafenib). According to the National Cancer Institute, about 42,230 people will be diagnosed with liver cancers in 2021, and about 30% of these will die from the disease.
In the United States, Stivarga is also indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) who have been previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF therapy, and, if RAS wild-type, an anti-EGFR therapy. It is also indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) who have been previously treated with imatinib mesylate and sunitinib malate.
"The new packaging contains four 21-count bottles, increasing the efficiency of dispensing Stivarga," Ray Bailey, RPh, director of pharmacy of Florida Cancer Specialists & Research in Fort Myers, Florida, said in an email. "The streamlined packaging is a welcome change. It more closely aligns with current drug dosing schedules including dose escalations. The packaging will also help us reduce drug waste."
FDA Approves Amvuttra for ATTR-CM in Extended Label
March 21st 2025This expanded indication for Amvuttra makes it the first and only FDA-approved treatment for transthyretin amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) and the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis (hATTR-PN) in adults.
Read More
Using the 'Pathway' Approach to Shorten the Time Between Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
November 16th 2022In this episode of Tuning In to the C-Suite, Briana Contreras, editor with Managed Healthcare Executive spoke with Dr. Yuri Fesko, oncologist and vice president of Medical Affairs at Quest Diagnostics. In the conversation, Dr. Fesko addressed the ongoing issue of long gaps of times between receiving a diagnosis for a type of cancer and finally getting the treatment for it. Dr. Fesko shared the benefits a number of sectors receive when treating patients sooner and the steps to get there.
Listen
Microplastics, Diet and More: What’s Causing Early-Onset Cancer?
March 18th 2025In a February 2025 Time magazine cover story, Jamie Ducharme reports on this atypical and disquieting trend. Ducharme cites a 79% increase in early-onset cancer diagnoses and a 28% increase in cancer-related deaths in this age group from 1990 to 2019.
Read More