The Swiss drug maker, Roche Holding has filed its application for approval in the US and Europe for its new drug vemurafenib. The drug is designed to treat the most serious form of cancer Melanoma and is also known as RG7204. The drug maker has also filed for the approval of diagnostics test for the disease.

The cancer drug named vemurafenib is which is co-developed with U. S. peer Plexxikon Inc. the drug maker said that the diagnostic test is designed to make sure that patients get diagnosed at an early stage so that they could be treated successfully.

Experts believe that once the cancer returns and spreads after initial treatment there are no substitute treatments available to cure it. Figures reveal that more than 40,000 people are killed by this form of skin cancer every year.

The drug has shown positive results in treating the patients with a special form of skin cancer in which a protein called, BRAF mutate itself to affect other parts of the body. In general, skin cancer or melanoma is curable but once it start spreading to other parts of the body it becomes difficult to treat and most patients die within months.