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Europe has approved a new type of drug for breast cancer based on a product in the sea sponge.
Halaven (eribulin mesylate) has been licensed as third-line breast cancer therapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who have failed on two previous courses of chemotherapy.
Prior regimens must have included an anthracycline and a taxane if the patient was eligible to receive these.
The decision follows the same approval by the FDA in November last year.
It is supported by the EMBRACE trial, a Phase III study that suggest eribulin mesylate boosted overall survival by a median of 2.5 months.
Eisai plans to launch eribulin mesylate across Northern Europe, beginning with the UK.
Eisai 2011
