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Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved AstraZeneca's blockbuster cancer drug, Imfinzi, for the treatment of patients with a type of non-small cell lung cancer on Thursday.
The health regulator approved Imfinzi as an additional treatment after surgery in adult patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
The drug is already approved in the U.S. for patients with a late-stage form of the disease, where the cancer cannot be removed through surgery.
Earlier today, the company received a priority review from the FDA for the use of Imfinzi in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer, causing shares to hit a record high of 130.48 pounds ($167.69).
Imfinzi is a human monoclonal antibody, which works by blocking a tumor's ability to evade and dampen the immune system, while also boosting the body's anti-cancer immune response, offering an alternative to chemotherapy. ($1 = 0.7781 pounds) (Reporting by Christy Santhosh; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
