Zydus Cadila gets USFDA approval for generic cancer drug

New Delhi: Drug firm Zydus Cadila on Friday said it has received approval from the US health regulator to market Pemetrexed injection, used to treat certain kinds of cancers, in the American market.

The Ahmedabad-based drug maker has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for the injection in the strengths of 100mg/vial, 500 mg/vial, and 1000 mg/vial, single-dose vials, Zydus Cadila said in a statement.

Pemetrexed is used to treat certain types of cancers such as lung cancer, mesothelioma. It is a chemotherapy drug that works by slowing or stopping the growth of cancer cells.

The drug will be manufactured at the formulation manufacturing facility at Ahmedabad, the drug maker noted.

The group now has 319 approvals and has so far filed over 400 abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) since the commencement of the filing process in 2003-04, it added.

Zydus Cadila discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of healthcare therapies. The group employs nearly 25,000 people worldwide.

Cadila Healthcare is the group's listed entity.