Astrazeneca's Olaparib treatment given thumbs up by European committee

Friday brought good news for Astrazeneca shareholders after its Olaparib treatment was recommended for marketing authorisation by a European Medicines Agency (EMA) committee.

The committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) gave the drug the thumbs-up for the treatment of women with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer based on the results of a study which showed that the therapy "significantly" prolonged progression free survival compared with a placebo.

Astra, which will now await the outcome of the European Commission's review, said it was committed to investigating the full potential of olaparib and has "a number of studies" underway in multiple tumour types.

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) chief executive Harpal Kumar said he welcomed the CHMP's decision, particularly given the early role CRUK scientists played in discovering and developing PARP enzyme inhibitors as a new generation of drugs that exploit the weaknesses cancer cells have in repairing damaged DNA.

"If approved, olaparib could offer new hope to women with advanced ovarian cancer and this illustrates how our partnerships with Astrazeneca are helping us to accelerate our efforts to beat cancer through new treatments for patients," he said.