Cambridge wins US approval for Huntingtons drug

THE privately owned Anglo-Irish pharmaceutical group, Cambridge Laboratories has won approval to distribute its treatment for Huntington’s Disease in the US.

The green light from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will see Cambridge’s American-based partner company, the Washington DC-based Prestwick Pharmaceuticals distribute the Xenazine drug across the US and Canada. Prestwick has had the distribution rights to Xenazine — pending market approval — since 2002 for the US and 2004 for the Canadian market.

Cambridge — which has dual headquarters in Newcastle and Dublin — already sells the drug in 14 markets outside of North America, including Australia and most of Europe. Another four — as yet unnamed — markets in Europe are due to be added to the network next month.