FDA Approvals:

• 1995 Tretinoin, the first successful differentiating agent

• 1995 Porfimer sodium, a drug that sensitizes tumors to light, permitting photodynamic therapy in the U.S.

• 1996 Topotecan, first of a class of drugs that interferes with the enzyme topoisomerase

• 1997 Rituximab, first biotechnology product approved by FDA to treat patients with cancer

• 1998 Trastuzumab (Herceptin), targets cancer cells that produce a protein found in high number of women with metastatic breast cancer