China approves first PARP inhibitor for treating recurrent ovarian cancer

The China National Drug Administration has approved AstraZeneca's (LSE: AZN) Lynparza (olaparib) for the maintenance treatment of recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer, the first targeted therapy approved there for the indication.

The Anglo-Swedish pharma major is co-developing the ADB-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor with US drug giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) and the approval comes just nine months after the marketing application was submitted to the CNDA. The accord with Merck has the potential to earn AstraZeneca as much as $8.5 billion.

The drug is the first PARP inhibitor for treating recurrent ovarian cancer to get the green light in China, George Chen, president of AstraZeneca China’s new drug development department, said in the statement. It is also the first such drug to get approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.