Prostate Cancer Drug Xinlay Has Been Dismissed by FDA Panel

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee recommended against approval of the prostate cancer drug Xinlay of Abbot Laboratories meant for prostate cancer treatment, on account of doubtful safety and effectiveness.

Abbott Laboratories introduced atrasentan, by the trade name Xinlay, a once-a-day pill, as a treatment for men with an advanced stage of prostate cancer that has spread to the bone.
But the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted unanimously against it, due to lack of effectiveness seen in two earlier trials.

The chief executive of Abbott Laboratories Inc., Miles White, stated that the company remains confident in its experimental prostate cancer drug Xinlay, despite refusal by the federal advisory panel to back the medicine.

Some industry analysts had projected the medicine could generate peak annual sales of more than $1 billion.