AstraZeneca's vandetanib receives approval from FDA

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug made by AstraZeneca for treating a rare form of thyroid cancer, the agency said.

The FDA announced the approval of the daily pill vandetanib for late-stage medullary thyroid cancer in patients whose disease is growing and causing symptoms but who are ineligible for surgery.

Medullary thyroid cancer involves specific cells found in the thyroid gland and can occur spontaneously or be part of a genetic disease. There currently are no FDA-approved treatments for this cancer.