Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. announced that it has been selected to participate in Exelixis’ limited-distribution panel to distribute Cabometyx (cabozantinib) tablets. Cabometyx was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy.

RCC is a type of cancer in which malignant cells form in the lining of tubules of the kidney. RCC is the most common form of kidney cancer found in adults, accounting for around 90 percent of all kidney cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated that 62,700 people will be diagnosed with kidney cancer in the United States in 2016. The average age at the time of diagnosis is 64. Approximately 17,000 patients in the United States require second-line or later treatment.

“We are pleased to offer patients a therapy that expands their treatment options for advanced kidney cancer,” said Gary Kadlec, Diplomat president. “Cabometyx tablets offer an important new alternative for patients.”

Cabometyx is a novel therapy that has demonstrated in a phase 3 trial clinically meaningful improvements for patients with advanced RCC in overall survival, progression-free survival and objective response rate.

Cabometyx is manufactured by Exelixis, Inc.