New gastric cancer drug approved

Friday 20th November 2009

A drug to treat the seventh most common cancer in Europe has been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).

Advanced gastric cancer medication S-1 was validated for use with cisplatin for Taiho Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd.

Gastric cancer affects more than twice as many men as women in Europe, and most sufferers are aged between 50 and 70. It is the sixth most common cause of cancer death, and there is no chemotherapy treatment yet considered as a standard of care.

Medical oncologist Peter Harper MD, from The London Oncology Clinic, said: "Gastric cancer is an area of significant unmet medical need in Europe and around the world.

"It is exciting to see this progress, especially with an oral drug that has the potential to provide a safer and more convenient treatment alternative for patients and their attending physicians who are dealing with this devastating disease."

The EMEA designated Japanese company Taiho's S-1 drug as an orphan medicinal product for gastric cancer on December 20, 2007.

Copyright Press Association 2009

Feedback

Have YOUR say.

Name:
Email:
Location:

We welcome all feedback. However, we cannot publish anonymous comments, so please supply your name and location. Your details will not be displayed if you so request. To protect privacy we never publish email addresses.