Takeda to seek Japan approval for gastric cancer drug next year

By Bhanvi Satija MADRID, Oct 25 (Reuters) Takeda Pharmaceutical plans to seek regulatory approval in Japan next year for its gastric cancer drug, after it extended overall survival and delayed disease progression in a late-stage study, a company executive told Reuters. The drug, arcotatug tavatecan, or ​TAK-921, met both those main goals of the trial in patients with advanced gastric ‌or gastroesophageal junction cancer who had received at least two prior therapies. We will leverage this data and file in Japan with an NDA next year, PK Morrow, who leads oncology development for the Japanese drugmaker, said in an interview on Saturday at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Madrid, referring to a new drug application. Some analysts said the ‌data was a ​solid start for Takeda s more focused strategy for its oncology ambitions. ⁠The company is prioritizing development in ⁠lung and chest cancers, blood cancers and gastric cancer. Median overall survival was 10.2 mont