Some good news for AstraZeneca PLC (LON:AZN), which said the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Faslodex for wider use in women with breast cancer.
The 500mg dose can now be deployed as a single therapy for patients with hormone-receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer, who have gone through menopause and have not received previous endocrine therapy.
The regulatory green light was given after it presented data from the Phase III FALCON trial, published last November.
“We're pleased that the landmark FALCON trial results demonstrated the efficacy of Faslodex as initial monotherapy treatment for women who are living with HR+ HER2- advanced breast cancer,” said Jamie Freedman, head of AZ’s oncology business.
“This approval, building on more than 15 years of clinical experience, means more patients can have the opportunity to receive Faslodex earlier in the treatment journey.”
The company has made the headlines on a number of fronts over the weekend.
It said it was planning a multi-million pound investment in its site at Macclesfield, which has been spun as a sign of confidence in the UK drugs industry post-Brexit.
The company was also revealed to be teaming up with US biology and technology company Berg to search for new drugs to treat Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological disorders, using artificial intelligence.
Finally, the Reuters news agency confirmed AZ will receive up to US$400 million from Takeda Pharmaceutical after striking a deal for the Japanese company to co-develop an early-stage medicine for Parkinson's disease.
The drug, MEDI1341, is an antibody treatment discovered by the Anglo-Swedish company, is due to enter phase I clinical trials later this year.