Lilly’s necitumumab – gained through the company’s ImClone acquisition – demonstrates an overall survival benefit in the SQUIRE study against first-line metastatic squamous NSCLC. Pleasantly surprised by the outcome, some analysts start to expect blockbuster sales.

The vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor demonstrated a 1.4 month improvement in overall survival, giving some investors the jitters but encouraging clinician experts, especially given previous targeted drug trial failures.

Enrollment-boosting strategy backed by industry rep at Duke-Margolis meeting as FDA official suggests having sponsors develop study plans for pregnant and lactating women with ‘elements of’ the requirement for pediatric studies.