AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN) said its drug Enhertu has been given the green light in the US to be given to patients with advanced and difficult-to-treat non-small cell lung cancer.
The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the chemotherapy for use in people with inoperable tumours or where the cancer has spread beyond the lungs and the tumours have HER2 mutations.
"HER2-mutant non-small cell lung cancer is an aggressive form of the disease which commonly affects young patients who have faced limited treatment options and a poor prognosis to date,” said Dave Fredrickson, head of AZ’s oncology business.
“Today's news provides these patients with the opportunity to benefit from a targeted therapy and highlights the importance of testing for predictive markers, including HER2 in lung cancer, at the time of diagnosis to ensure patients receive the most appropriate treatment for their specific disease."
Enhertu, which was jointly developed by Japan’s Daiichi Sankyo, is currently also approved for treating breast cancer.