AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company has reportedly announced the approval of its new lung cancer treatment, Tagrisso by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. As per reliable sources, the treatment would be available for the first line treatment of patients suffering from incurable or recurring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).
According to an official press release by AstraZeneca, the approval comes on the heels of the global Phase III FLAURA trial results which were reportedly conducted on numerous Japanese patients. Incidentally, Tagrisso’s safety data in the FLAURA trial is in line with the results observed in prior clinical trials.
As per Dave Fredrickson, Executive VP and Head of AstraZeneca’s Oncology Business Unit, their Tagrisso lung cancer treatment has already been approved by Japan for specifically treating patients with EGFR mutation, which apparently is resistant to the existing 1st-line EGFR-inhibitor medicines.
Fredrickson added that the new approval would promote the use of Tagrisso to the 1st-line setting, eventually replacing older medicines, irrespective of Japan’s high prevalence of EGFR mutation, and would offer a vital treatment alternative.
Reports suggest that the FLAURA trial revealed a superior progression free survival benefit which was consistent across all subgroups including in patients with or without the central nervous system (CNS) metacases, a significant benefit for lung cancer patients.
According to official reports, AstraZeneca's new products progressively provided a boost to the company, helping profits beat the firm’s estimates in the second quarter. Sources also claim that Pascal Soriot, CEO of AstraZeneca was reportedly encountered selling the rights of some medicines in a bid to expedite the company’s revenue and support its new medical research.
Recent reports claim that Tagrisso has received approvals in close to 40 countries for the 1st-line treatment of patients suffering with metastatic EGFRm NSCLC, including the U.S. and Europe.