AstraZeneca's biliary tract cancer treatment receives US approval

Drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Monday that its biliary tract cancer treatment had been granted US approval to be used as the first immunotherapy regimen for patients with the disease.

The FTSE 100-listed group said the approval of Imfinzi for usage in the US was based on the results of the TOPAZ-1 Phase III trial, in conjunction with chemotherapy, which showed the drug reduced the risk of death by 20% versus chemotherapy alone.

Dave Fredrickson, executive vice president of AstraZeneca's oncology business unit,, said: "For the first time, patients in the US with advanced biliary tract cancer have an immunotherapy-based treatment option that meaningfully extends survival and is well-tolerated.

"This approval for Imfinzi and chemotherapy advances our ambition to challenge treatment expectations and transform care for patients with gastrointestinal cancers with high unmet need."

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com