Shire’s ADHD amphetamine wins British backing

LONDON (Reuters) – Shire’s hyperactivity treatment Vyvanse will be available in Europe within months after Britain’s drugs regulator backed the amphetamine-based stimulant used to treat millions of U.S. students. The drug, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, has a slow-release action that activates the amphetamine ingredient over the course of a day, helping levels of alertness and concentration in children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). It was assessed under the European Union’s decentralized approvals procedure, led by Britain’s medicines watchdog. …