FDA approval for Yonsa, a competitor to Zytiga

The US Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for Yonsa (abiraterone acetate), a novel formulation in combination with methylprednisolone, for the treatment of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Yonsa was originally developed by privately-held US firm Churchill Pharmaceuticals but is partnered with Indian drug major Sun Pharmaceuticals (BSE: 524715), whose shares were up 2.7% at 464.50 rupees this morning.

Abiraterone is the active ingredient of prostate cancer drug Zytiga, which is marketed by US healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE: JNJ) Janssen subsidiaries. Yonsa tablets ultramicrosize have double the bioavailability of the comparator formulation of abiraterone acetate, according to Churchill.