Novartis gets approval to market 4 drugs in Japan

BASEL, Switzerland - Novartis AG said Wednesday it has received approval in Japan to market four drugs to treat asthma, cancer, hypertension and blindness.

The Swiss pharmaceuticals company said the approvals covered omalizumab, known as Xolair, for treating severe bronchial asthma in adult patients; nilotinib, or Tasigna, to treat certain forms of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, a rare form of cancer; a new single-pill combination of valsartan — known as Diovan — and hydrochlorothiazide for high blood pressure treatment; and ranibizumab, or Lucentis, for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration, a form of blindness which affects about 20,000 people in Japan each year.

"It is a significant achievement to secure the approval of so many important new medicines for the benefit of Japanese patients in a single day," said Joe Jimenez, head of Novartis' pharmaceuticals division.

"We are proud to be able to offer these innovative medications that provide new options to treat serious, and in some cases life-threatening diseases affecting millions of Japanese patients and their families," he added.

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