EU Regulators Back AstraZeneca PLC Thyroid Cancer Drug

European drug regulators have recommended AstraZeneca's new thyroid cancer pill Caprelsa, or vandetanib, for approval, giving a boost to a drug which has suffered past setbacks. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said in a statement on Friday its application for a marketing authorisation for Caprelsa received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of advanced and non-operable medullary thyroid cancer. Vandetanib was once seen as a potential $1 billion-plus blockbuster for AstraZeneca, but suffered a major setback after failing to extend survival in patients with lung cancer.