Aug 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

approved AstraZeneca's ( AZN ) blockbuster cancer drug,

Imfinzi, for the treatment of patients with a type of non-small

cell lung cancer on Thursday.

The health regulator approved Imfinzi as an additional

treatment after surgery in adult patients with non-small cell

lung cancer.

The drug is already approved in the U.S. for patients

with a late-stage form of the disease, where the cancer cannot

be removed through surgery.

Earlier today, the company received a

priority review

from the FDA for the use of Imfinzi in patients with

limited-stage small cell lung cancer, causing shares to hit a

record high of 130.48 pounds ($167.69).

Imfinzi is a human monoclonal antibody, which works by

blocking a tumor's ability to evade and dampen the immune

system, while also boosting the body's anti-cancer immune

response, offering an alternative to chemotherapy.

($1 = 0.7781 pounds)

(Reporting by Christy Santhosh; Editing by Anil D'Silva)