AstraZeneca receives EU approval for ovarian cancer drug Lynparza

AstraZeneca has announced that its ovarian cancer drug Lynparza has been approved by the European Commission.

The product is the first to be approved as a maintenance treatment for adult patients with high-grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete response or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy.

It is also the first PARP inhibitor to be approved for patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer. Patients who are able to respond to the treatment will be identified using a validated diagnostic test.

This approval was based on clinical trial data showing that the drug significantly prolonged progression-free survival rates compared with placebo.

Briggs Morrison, executive vice-president for global medicines development and chief medical officer at AstraZeneca, said: "We are delighted to be able to bring this much-needed treatment to patients with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer whose options are currently very limited. Today's approval marks a significant milestone in the development of the next generation of targeted medicines."

This comes after the firm also received European regulatory approval for Moventig, a new treatment for opioid-induced constipation, earlier this month.