Shares in AstraZeneca (LON:AZN) rose 2 percent in early trading on Monday, after US authorities approved a new drug for hyperkalaemia.

The drug, Lokelma, is designed for high potassium levels in the blood and was given marketing authorisation by the European Commission in March.

 

The group also submitted a new application to Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency for Forxiga, which provided reduced blood pressure and causes weight loss in adult patients with type-2 diabetes. This comes after regulatory submission for the drug was accepted in Europe earlier this year.

Shares in AstraZeneca (LON:AZN) are currently up 2.02 percent at 5,347.00 (0818GMT).