DHAKA: Roche`s new breast cancer drug Kadcyla was approved in Japan on Friday and recommended for approval in Europe, building on February`s United States green light for the product.

Kadcyla is designed for patients with late-stage disease whose cancer cells contain increased amounts of a protein known as HER2.

It works by attaching Herceptin to a drug called DM1, developed by ImmunoGen, which interferes with cancer cell growth. ImmunoGen will receive a US$5 million (S$6.23 million) milestone payment from Roche following the Japanese approval.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said on Friday its experts had also recommended a prostate cancer medicine, Xofigo, from Algeta and Bayer, which is also already approved in the United States.

Source: ST

BDST: 1900 HRS, SEP 20, 2013
GR/Jck