• Eisai Inc., of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., said the European Commission granted orphan drug designation to multityrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib for the treatment of follicular and papillary thyroid cancer. The product previously received orphan status in the U.S. and Japan. Lenvatinib is in Phase III testing in several indications, including thyroid cancer. In separate news, Eisai said it filed a Type II variation application with the European Medicines Agency for Halaven (eribuln), requesting an indication extension to include treatment of earlier-line metastatic breast cancer patients.