AstraZeneca gets EU support for targeted breast cancer therapies

AstraZeneca said two of its existing therapies were recommended for treating patients with some forms of high-risk breast cancers in the European Union, in a boost to the firm’s oncology portfolio. Lynparza, a cancer drug developed jointly with U.S.-based Merck, was backed for standalone use or in combination with endocrine therapy in adults with a form of genetically mutated early-stage breast cancer. The drug, which has received a similar recommendation in the United States in March, is a key asset for AstraZeneca.

It was recommended in patients with low-to-normal levels of a protein known as HER2 that is the target of several new therapies. Enhertu, developed jointly with Japan's Daiichi Sankyo , was the other drug that was endorsed by the European Medicines Agency for treating an aggressive form of breast cancer characterised by a high rate of HER2. Enhertu is seen as a major growth driver for AstraZeneca, with some analysts expecting peaks sales of $10 billion. The drug is also expected to be cleared for patients with low levels of HER2 this month after the recent success of a trial.