The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug based on the results from the KEEPsAKE-1 and KEEPsAKE-2 randomized, placebo-controlled studies.
The drug is approved as a diagnostic tool to help identify cancerous lesions during surgery, which is normally difficult to detect. The drug is administered intravenously prior to surgery.
The medication is indicated for adults and children aged 12 years or older weighing at least 35 kg, and few adverse effects were reported in clinical trials.
It is the first and only cell-based quadrivalent influenza vaccine in the United States and is an alternative for individuals allergic to the egg-based vaccines.