Astellas receives EU approval for overactive bladder therapy Betmiga

Astellas has received European regulatory approval for Betmiga, the first in a new class of therapies for overactive bladder (OAB).

The drug offers an entirely different mechanism of action to antimuscarinics, improving the storage capacity of the bladder without inhibiting bladder voiding, thereby prolonging the time between trips to the toilet.

It has been proven to provide a much lower incidence of treatment-associated side effects such as dry mouth, which can often lead to patients discontinuing their therapy regimen.

Betmiga represents the first new class of treatment approved for OAB in Europe for more than 30 years.

Professor Chris Chapple, consultant urological surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said: "We are looking forward to being able to offer an effective medication without the more bothersome side effects associated with antimuscarinics."

Last week, the company announced that it has submitted an application to the US Food and Drug Administration for approval of Tarceva among patients with EFGR mutation-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.