AstraZeneca’s breast cancer drug Etcamah has been approved in the EU as part of a combination treatment for advanced disease.

The European Commission acted on a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, the Cambridge, England-based drug maker said.

The decision followed positive results from the Serena-6 phase III trial, which showed a 56 per cent reduction in the risk of disease progression in advanced oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

A phase III trial is a large, late-stage study used to assess a treatment’s safety and effectiveness before wider regulatory approval.

Oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is a form of the disease that can grow in response to the hormone oestrogen.

Etcamah, whose generic name is camizestrant, was tested in combination with a cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor.

Known as CDK4/6 inhibitors, these medicines block proteins that help cancer cells grow and divide.

AstraZeneca said the Etcamah combination has also been approved in Japan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia based on the Serena-6 trial results.

The company said breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death among women in Europe, with more than 140,000 deaths and more than 540,000 patients diagnosed in 2024.

AstraZeneca shares were down 0.6 per cent at 12,628 pence in London on Thursday.

After more than two decades leading organisations at some of the world’s most respected medical device companies, including Hologic, SenoRx Breast Care, and BTL Industries, Joseph B. LaBruzzo is embarking on a new chapter as President & CEO of U.S. Operations and Board Member at Ark Surgical.

We sat down with Joseph to discuss what drew him to Ark Surgical, why he believes women’s surgical innovation is entering a transformative era, and what it takes to bring meaningful technologies from concept to standard of care.

You have held leadership positions at some of the biggest names in MedTech. What attracted you to Ark Surgical?

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work with organisations that developed technologies capable of changing the standard of care.

What attracted me to Ark Surgical is the opportunity to help address a meaningful unmet need in gynecologic surgery with an innovation that has the potential to improve patient outcomes while preserving the benefits of minimally invasive surgery.

Opportunities like that don’t come along very often.

FemTech World recently highlighted that many women remain unaware of gynecologic cancers and that unexpected diagnoses continue to have a profound impact on patients and families.

How has your own experience shaped the way you think about innovation in women’s health?

Earlier in my career, I witnessed many women receive life-changing cancer diagnoses.

Those experiences stayed with me and reinforced my belief that if there’s an opportunity to reduce risk through better innovation, it’s one worth pursuing.

That’s one of the reasons I was drawn to Ark Surgical.

The vast majority of minimally invasive gynecologic procedures are performed for conditions believed to be benign. Unfortunately, in rare cases, pathology later reveals an unexpected malignancy.

LapBox was designed with a proprietary dual-wall tissue containment system to help facilitate contained specimen retrieval and minimise the risk of tissue spillage during laparoscopic procedures.

I believe innovations like this can help surgeons manage the unexpected while preserving the many benefits of minimally invasive surgery for women.

Women’s health has gained significant momentum in recent years, yet surgical innovation often receives less attention than diagnostics or therapeutics. Why do you think that is?

Women’s health has historically been underfunded and underserved across many areas of medicine, and surgery is no exception.

While we’ve seen tremendous advances in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals, there are still important opportunities to improve the surgical experience for both physicians and patients.

Innovation that enhances safety, efficiency, and outcomes has the potential to make a lasting impact.

What excites you most about LapBox?

LapBox addresses a very real challenge that gynecologic surgeons face during minimally invasive procedures.

It was thoughtfully designed to integrate seamlessly into the surgical workflow while providing an added layer of confidence when tissue retrieval is required.

I believe technologies that solve real clinical challenges in a practical way have the greatest potential to become part of the standard of care.

What do you see as the biggest unmet needs in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery today?

The future of surgery isn’t simply about making procedures less invasive. It’s about making them smarter and safer.

Surgeons need technologies that integrate seamlessly into their workflow while helping them navigate increasingly complex clinical situations.

Every advancement that helps reduce risk while preserving the benefits of minimally invasive surgery has the potential to improve outcomes for both physicians and patients.

That’s where I believe the greatest opportunities for innovation exist.

As you take on this new role, what are your priorities over the next 12 months?

Our focus over the next 12 months is to build a strong foundation for growth. That means expanding physician partnerships, driving early clinical adoption, growing our team, and ensuring that more surgeons have access to technologies like LapBox.

At the same time, we’re focused on building strategic relationships with investors, healthcare systems, and industry partners that support our long-term vision.

What advice would you give entrepreneurs building the next generation of women’s health companies?

Start with a real clinical problem and never lose sight of the patient.

Great technology alone isn’t enough. You also need strong clinical evidence, physician advocates, and a clear market strategy. The companies that succeed are the ones that bring all of those pieces together while remaining focused on improving patient care.

About Joseph B. LaBruzzo

As President & CEO of U.S. Operations and Board Member, Joseph LaBruzzo is leading Ark Surgical’s U.S. growth strategy, physician partnerships, strategic investment initiatives, and organisational expansion, supporting the company’s mission to advance safer minimally invasive gynecologic surgery through innovative technologies.

Pregnancy complications may increase women’s risk of peripheral artery disease later in life, new research suggests.

The study analysed data from more than two million women in Sweden who gave birth to single babies between 1973 and 2015.

Led by Casey Crump, the research examined the long-term risk of peripheral artery disease among women who experienced preterm delivery, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes or other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Crump, professor in the department of family and community medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, said: “Our prior work has already shown that adverse pregnancy outcomes are associated with long-term risks of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure.

“This study builds on that work by showing that these women have an increased risk of peripheral artery disease, an important but understudied cardiovascular condition.”

Peripheral artery disease is often a precursor to long-term cardiovascular complications, including stroke, ischaemic heart disease and premature death.

The condition affects millions of people worldwide and occurs when narrowed arteries reduce blood flow, most commonly to the legs and feet.

Ischaemic heart disease occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood and oxygen, usually because the arteries have narrowed.

Symptoms of peripheral artery disease can include leg pain, cramps while walking, numbness, cold feet and sores on the feet or legs that are slow to heal.

Crump said women who experience pregnancy complications have an important opportunity after giving birth to make plans with their primary care doctor to monitor long-term risks.

Women who have experienced complicated pregnancies should speak with their doctor about possible future cardiovascular health risks.

Checks for blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol are important.

While the period after childbirth is an important time for women to monitor their health, Crump said it is never too late to lower the risk of peripheral artery disease.

He said: “Women with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes who seem to be doing well may still have a higher risk that can emerge later in life.”

Crump also suggested preventive steps such as avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and following a healthy lifestyle.

He stressed the importance of long-term follow-up care and conversations with healthcare providers to help protect cardiovascular health later in life.