Boston, MA 06/03/2014 (wallstreetpr) – AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE:AZN) could make its two promising lung cancer drugs available to British patients before completing clinical tests. In that move, the company will be exploiting a window of opportunity that recently opened in the U.K.
Through the early access to medicines scheme Britain seeks to get drugs to patients well ahead of the normal regulatory process. The provision is particularly important for promising treatments targeting previously unmet medical needs.
AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE:AZN) has two experimental lung cancer drugs that have so far shown compelling trial success in patients. According to AstraZeneca CEO Pascal So riot, the company is looking into getting the promising treatments to patients as soon as possible, and that means taking advantage of the fast-track pathway opportunity in Britain. Of course, the executive said the company will be looking into other markets around the world where the treatments can be made available to patients on early access basis.
Although the early access to medicine scheme was launched in the U.K a few months ago, no drugs have earned the status and AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE:AZN) could be among the first beneficiaries of the new scheme.
The two promising AstraZeneca experimental lung cancer drugs are known as MEDI4736 and AZD9291.
Rejecting Takeover Bid
AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE:AZN) has a powerful product pipeline, and that was the reason the company rejected takeover bids from the U.S. drug giant Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE). The New York-based Pfizer offered a bid of $117 billion to purchase AstraZeneca, but the board of AstraZeneca rejected the bid.
The board and the management of AstraZeneca considered Pfizer’s offer as undervaluing the company’s prospects. Indeed, Mr. Soriot believes that AstraZeneca is no cheap company and forecast that the company would hit $45 billion in annual revenue by 2023 given the success that the company is already witnessing in its pipeline.
Own Acquisitions
According to CEO So riot, AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE:AZN) will consider acquiring small and mid-size companies or bigger ones that can be integrated into its system without disruption.
