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US FDA approves AstraZeneca's Calquence for MCL
US FDA approves AstraZeneca's Calquence for MCL.
About this update from Astrazeneca Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \nRNS Number : 1632V AstraZeneca PLC 31 October 2017 \n\nThis announcement contains inside information \n31 October 2017 17:00 GMT\n \nUS FDA APPROVES ASTRAZENECA'S CALQUENCE (ACALABRUTINIB) FOR ADULT PATIENTS WITH PREVIOUSLY-TREATED MANTLE CELL LYMPHOMA \n \nAccelerated approval of the selective Bruton tyrosine kinase\n(BTK) inhibitor in MCL marks AstraZeneca's entry into the treatment of blood cancers\n \n80% of patients receiving Calquence achieved an overall response,\nwith 40% achieving a complete response\n \nAstraZeneca and its haematology research and development centre of excellence, Acerta Pharma, today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted accelerated approval to Calquence (acalabrutinib). Calquence is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) who have received at least one prior therapy.1 \n \nCalquence is approved under the FDA's accelerated approval pathway, based on overall response rate, which allows for earlier approval of medicines that treat serious conditions and that fill an unmet medical need based on a surrogate endpoint.2 Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.1\n \nPascal Soriot, Chief Executive Officer of AstraZeneca, said: \"The accelerated approval of Calquence is a landmark moment for our company. It provides an exciting new treatment option for patients with mantle cell lymphoma and marks the first approval of a medicine that will be the cornerstone of our presence in haematology. Furthermore, today's approval demonstrates our commitment to scientific leadership in Oncology and reinforces our progress towards returning to growth.\"\n \nMichael L. Wang, MD, Professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Principal Investigator of the ACE-LY-004 MCL clinical trial, said: \"The acalabrutinib approval represents an important development for patients currently battling mantle cell lymphoma, an aggressive type of blood cancer that is typically diagnosed at an advanced stage and associated with a high relapse rate. In addition to the overall response rate, the high complete response rate of 40% seen in this trial illustrates the po...