4 August 2016 - The FDA has granted 148 breakthrough therapy designations as at 3 August 2016. Most of the 148 designations are medicines; a small number are for vaccines.

BMS has obtained 14 designations of which 9 are for nivolumab. Novartis has obtained 11 designations; three are for the same medicine (canakinumab).

45 of the 148 designations are for medicines for cancer; 13 are for non-small-cell lung cancer. Another 34 are for a haematological disease/condition.

76 of the 148 therapies are orphan drugs.