Lilly receives EU approval for diagnostic agent Amyvid

Lilly has announced that its new diagnostic radiopharmaceutical product Amyvid has received marketing authorisation from the European Commission.

The regulatory body has approved the agent as for use in positron emission tomography imaging of beta-amyloid neuritic plaque density in the brains of adult patients who are being evaluated for Alzheimer's disease and other causes of cognitive impairment.

It will be made available in selected EU territories from the second quarter of 2013 onwards and will make it easier for clinicians to avoid misdiagnoses, a common issue with Alzheimer's patients due to the difficulty of diagnosing this disease.

Diane Bakaysa, global brand development leader for Amyvid at Lilly, said the product will "provide physicians with important information about the presence or absence of beta-amyloid plaques that can help identify the cause of their patients' cognitive symptoms".

Last week, the company and its partner Boehringer Ingelheim reported positive phase III data for empagliflozin, a new therapy for use in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.