A new lung cancer pill from AstraZeneca PLC has been approved by US regulators, in a major boost for the British drugmaker.
AZD9291, which is to be sold as Tagrisso, is for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, the most common form of lung cancer. Tagrisso targets a genetic mutation, known as T790M, that helps tumors evade current lung cancer pills.
The drug is to be made available to patients in the US as soon as possible and its price would be “comparable to other oral cancer therapies,” a spokeswoman said.
AstraZeneca is scheduled to reveal the price early next week.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, accounting for a third of cancer deaths, more than breast, prostate and colorectal cancers combined.
The treatment, developed in Cheshire, is one of several highlighted by AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot in his defense against a takeover approach from American rival Pfizer Inc, the maker of Viagra, last year.
AstraZeneca estimates that Tagrisso could bring in sales of US$3 billion a year, but analysts are more cautious, forecasting sales of US$1.1 billion in 2020.
The company needs new blockbuster medicines to make up for sales losses on older drugs that are losing patent protection.
The once-daily Tagrisso tablet had a “significant effect on reducing tumor size in over half of patients who were treated,” said Richard Pazdur of the FDA’s center for drug evaluation and research.
Its approval means AstraZeneca has taken another step forward in its ambition to bring six new cancer treatments by 2020.
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