Kadcyla will cost about $9,800 monthly,

"Kadcyla delivers the drug to the cancer site to shrink the tumor, slow disease progression and prolong survival," said Dr. Richard Pazdur, director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement. The drug is the fourth approved to target the HER2 protein.

Genentech, the company that developed the drug, is working to get it to patients "imminently," said spokesman Susan Willson. "As soon as humanly possible, but within two weeks at the outside."

Kadcyla will cost about $9,800 monthly, which Willson said is "similar to the cost of other treatment regimens in this line of therapy." The estimated cost of a course of Kadcyla -- 9½ months -- is about $94,000.

[link to www.cnn.com]

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