AstraZeneca's breast cancer drug gets accelerated US approval, Spire Healthcare agrees to £1.03bn takeover bid

AstraZeneca said its breast cancer drug Etcamah (camizestrant), used with a CDK4/6 inhibitor, received accelerated approval in the US for patients with advanced breast cancer showing signs of resistance to standard hormone therapy. The FDA decision was based on an FDA-authorised blood test detecting emerging ESR1 mutations, following results from the Phase III SERENA-6 trial. In an interim analysis, the Etcamah combination cut the risk of disease progression or death by 56% versus continuing aromatase-inhibitor therapy, extending median progression-free survival to 16 months from 9.2 months. Separately, Spire Healthcare agreed to be acquired by Tulip UK Bidco, a new company backed by Toscafund, THCP Advisory and Ares, for £1.03bn, with 250p per share.