AstraZeneca’s (NYSE:AZN, LON:AZN) application to use its closely-watched new drug durvalumab to treat bladder cancer has been accepted by US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration.
The announcement is welcome news for the Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical group just weeks after it restarted trials for the drug for new patients with head and neck cancer following some cases of bleeding. The news sent the company’s shares up as much as 4.3% on Friday.
AstraZeneca has pinned hopes on durvalumab as a potential breakthrough treatment for several forms of cancer.
AstraZeneca shares closed up 3.4% at $27.16 on Wall Street and advanced a further 0.2% to $27.10 after hours on Friday. In London, the shares closed up 3.1% at 4243.54p.