The US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has accepted AstraZeneca's New Drug Application (NDA) filing for Iressa (gefitinib) as a targeted monotherapy for the first line treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic epidermal growth factor receptor mutation positive (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as identified through a companion diagnostic test. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date for Iressa will be in the third quarter 2015.

Iressa is an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor that acts by blocking the transmission of signals involved in the growth and spread of tumours. AstraZeneca’s NDA submission for Iressa was based on data from the phase III IFUM1 (Iressa Follow-Up Measure) clinical trial, providing evidence of Iressa’s efficacy in Caucasian patients. This was supported by results from the IPASS2 (Iressa Pan-ASia Study) clinical trial, as well as other collaborative group studies.

Iressa is already approved in 90 countries for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with activating mutations of the EGFR tyrosine kinase.