Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

AstraZeneca's Saphnelo Pen gets green light from US FDA

(Sharecast News) - Drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Monday that its systemic lupus erythematosus treatment Saphnelo (anifrolumab) hsd received US Food and Drug Administration approval for self‑administration via a once‑weekly autoinjector, the Saphnelo Pen. AstraZeneca said the FDA approval, for adults also receiving standard therapy, follows its recent Phase III TULIP‑SC trial, which showed that subcutaneous dosing delivered a "statistically significant and clinically meaningful" reduction in disease activity versus placebo in patients with moderate to severe SLE on background treatment.

The FTSE 100-listed firm stated the safety profile was consistent with that seen with intravenous administration of Saphnelo.

Ruud Dobber, execvutive vice president of AstraZeneca's biopharmaceuticals business unit, said: "Since its launch, Saphnelo IV infusion has helped tens of thousands of people with systemic lupus erythematosus achieve lower disease activity with fewer steroids and has been shown to help many achieve remission. The approval of the Saphnelo Pen represents a significant step forward in expanding Saphnelo's clinical benefits to more people living with systemic lupus erythematosus."

As of 0830 BST, AstraZeneca shares were up 0.62% at 14,042p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

See latest RNS at Investegate

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

NewRiver REIT ends year in line with analyst expectations
(Sharecast News) - NewRiver REIT said on Friday that full-year underlying funds from operations and EPRA net tangible assets per share were expected to be in line with analyst consensus, after a year in which it completed the integration of Capital & Regional and strengthened its balance sheet.
Berenberg lowers target price on Unilever
(Sharecast News) - Berenberg lowered its target price on consumer goods giant Unilever from £58.40 to £50.40 on Friday following the group's first quarter sales figures a day earlier.
Canaccord Genuity upgrades Halfords to 'buy'
(Sharecast News) - Analysts at Canaccord Genuity upgraded motoring and cycling products retailer Halfords from 'hold' to 'buy' on Friday following the group's "better-than-expected" second half trading performance.
Rotork backs full-year guidance after 'resilient' Q1
(Sharecast News) - Rotork backed its full-year guidance on Friday as the industrial valve manufacturer hailed a "resilient" first quarter.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.