Janssen-Cilag receives EU approval for new Invega indication

Janssen-Cilag has been granted approval from European regulators to market its drug Invega as a therapy for psychotic or manic symptoms of schizoaffective disorder.

The European Commission approval follows a positive recommendation from the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) and is based on positive data from recent clinical trials.

This makes Invega the first and only antipsychotic treatment for schizoaffective disorder approved in Europe, with the CHMP deeming that it offers significant clinical benefits compared to current therapy options.

Invega has been approved as a schizophrenia treatment since 2007 and has been proven to deliver better personal and social performance for patients.

Dr Christophe Tessier, medical affairs director for psychiatry at Janssen-Cilag, said: "Janssen is committed to helping improve the lives of people with serious mental illness and has a long history of developing innovative medicines in this field."

This comes after the company announced last month that it has submitted an application for European approval of telaprevir, a new treatment for hepatitis C.