FDA approves Bristol Myers' first oral therapy for advanced multiple myeloma, a new drug class

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its nod to an oral medication from Bristol Myers Squibb for patients with advanced multiple myeloma.

The drug represents the first member of a novel class of therapies aimed at this blood cancer, offering a new treatment option that can be taken by mouth rather than by infusion.

In a separate legal development, a federal appeals court found that a lower judge had incorrectly dismissed a lawsuit brought by former Celgene shareholders against Bristol, allowing the case to proceed.

The combination of the regulatory approval and the court decision highlights both the therapeutic advances and the ongoing litigation environment surrounding the company’s oncology portfolio.