Eisai's amatuximab gets orphan status in Europe 

European regulators have assigned Eisai's amatuximab with an orphan drug designation (ODD) for the treatment of malignant mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare and aggressive form of lung cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, affecting around 1 in 50,000 people per year in Europe.

Although there has been a dramatic decline in the use of asbestos since the mid-1970s, incidence of the difficult-to-treat condition is expected to rise.