GlaxoSmithKline PLC (LON:GSK) announced its late-stage ovarian cancer treatment Zejula has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Zejula is a PARP inhibitor: it targets a protein that does repair work in the cancer cells, which then die.
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The FTSE 100-listed firm said that until now, only 20% of women with ovarian cancer were eligible to be treated with a PARP inhibitor as monotherapy in the first-line maintenance setting.
Ovarian cancer hits nearly 222,000 women annually in the US.
“Women with advanced ovarian cancer have a five-year survival rate of less than 50%,” said Hal Barron, chief scientific officer and president of the research and development segment at GSK.
“This expanded indication means that many more women with this devastating disease can receive earlier treatment with Zejula, which can extend the time it takes for their cancer to progress.”
Shares rose 1% to 1,685.8p on Thursday in early trading.