Pro-Pharmaceuticals gets OK for breast cancer test

Pro-Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Newton said today that a regimen that includes its lead product Davanat has been approved to treat a breast cancer patient.

Davanat is designed for use in combination with multiple chemotherapy drugs; according to Pro-Pharmaceuticals, Davanat can extend survival in cancer patients and reduce side effects of chemotherapies and biologics.

Pro-Pharmaceuticals said today that the US Food and Drug Administration has granted an investigational new drug application for use of Davanat in combination with other drugs to treat a breast-cancer patient.

The company cited American Cancer Society estimates that 180,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United State this year and that breast cancer annually kills about 45,000 Americans.

Davanat is also in clinical trials for its use in first-line treatments of colorectal and biliary cancer patients.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)