Bayer moves closer to EU approval of kidney cancer treatment (AFP)

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AFP) - Bayer, the German pharmaceuticals and chemicals giant, said it had moved a step closer to having its new kidney cancer drug Nexavar (sorafenib) approved for marketing in Europe.

The European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has given a positive opinion on the drug which could eventually lead to marketing approval for all EU countries in the second half of this year, Bayer said in a statement.

At the same time, Nexavar, which will be used to treat patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), was approved for marketing in Mexico, it said.

The drug, which has annual sales potential of around one billion euros (1.25 billion dollars), was already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in December and in Switzerland in March.

Bayer has also filed for approval of the drug in several other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada and Turkey, it said.