(Sharecast News) - Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca's leukaemia treatment has received European Union approval.
AstraZeneca said on Monday that Calquence, a selective Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, had been approved for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in the bloc.
The FTSE 250-listed firm stated that the EU's approval was a result of "positive results" from Phase III clinical trials and followed a recommendation for approval by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency in July.
Dave Fredrickson, AZN's vice president of oncology, said: "This approval represents a key development for patients in Europe who until now have had limited chemotherapy-free treatment options.
"As our first European approval in blood cancers, Calquence provides a new tolerable treatment option with uncompromised efficacy and the potential to positively impact the quality of life for thousands of patients living with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia."
As of 0835 GMT, AZN shares were up 0.57% at 8,521.24p.