AstraZeneca's New Diabetes Drug Formulation Gets FDA Approval

AstraZeneca PLC (AZN.LN) has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a new formulation of its type-2 diabetes treatment option Bydureon, it said Monday.

The pharmaceutical company said that the regulator has given the green light to its Bydureon BCise injectable suspension drug--a single-dose autoinjector device that is used once a week. The new formulation reduces blood sugar levels and has the added benefit of weight loss, the company said.

AstraZeneca said the drug will be available to U.S. patients from the first quarter of 2018.

The European Medicines Agency has also accepted an application for the autoinjection, it added.

Write to Carlo Martuscelli at carlo.martuscelli@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 23, 2017 02:33 ET (06:33 GMT)