Astellas gets first approval for Vyloy, in Japan

26 March 2024
astellasuk-big

Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503) today announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved Vyloy (zolbetuximab), an anti-claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2) monoclonal antibody for patients with CLDN18.2 positive, unresectable, advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.

Astellas noted that this makes Vyloy is the first and only CLDN18.2-targeted therapy approved by any regulatory agency in the world. The company’s shares edged up 1.3% to 1,674 yen on the news.

Gastric cancer is frequently diagnosed in the advanced or metastatic stage due to overlapping early-stage symptoms with other more common stomach conditions. Despite efforts to reduce its impact, gastric cancer is the third deadliest cancer in Japan, with 126,724 cases diagnosed in 2022.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free.  A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Login to your account

Become a subscriber

 

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now
  • Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
  • Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
  • Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
  • Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
  • Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription
The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK

Today's issue

Company Spotlight





More Features in Biotechnology