Celgene has been given a boost by the Canadian regulator, which has approved Abraxane as a first-line treatment in metastatic pancreatic cancer.

The manufacturer has argued that there is a strong unmet need, with Abraxane (paclitaxel) plus gemcitabine the first new approved therapy in this disease area in 18 years.

Health Canada based its decision on the phase III MPACT trial, results of which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine last October.

Dr Malcolm J. Moore, director of the McCain Centre for Pancreatic Cancer at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and an MPACT investigator, said: “This is a cancer where there are few effective treatments and the first-line approval of Abraxane in combination with gemcitabine represents an important advance.

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