Lenvatinib – A multikinase inhibitor for radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer

Abstract

Lenvatinib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in February 2015. In a pivotal phase III study of 392 patients with progressive radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer, the overall response rate of patients receiving lenvatinib was 64.8%, with complete response in four patients. The median progression-free survival was 18.3 months in the lenvatinib arm versus 3.6 months in patients receiving placebo. Median overall survival was not reached in either arm. Lenvatinib is a promising new treatment for patients with radioiodine (iodine-131)-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer.