Struggling Eisai gets FDA approval for cancer drug Halaven for liposarcoma

Japan's Eisai got a much-needed boost on Thursday when the FDA approved its cancer drug, Halaven, for treatment of liposarcoma for patients in which the cancer has advanced to the point where surgery is not an option. The FDA said the drug is the first to show a survival improvement for patients with the soft-tissue sarcoma. Halaven, which was developed from a marine sponge called Halichondria okadai, was approved in 2010 for treating advanced breast cancer. Eisai, which has been recovering from a patent-cliff fall, is counting on the drug to help it achieve its first operating profit in 5 years. Announcement | More