Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration say a powerful psychiatric drug from AstraZeneca [ AZN 44.11 
+0.98 (+2.27%) ] is safe and effective to treat schizophrenia in adolescents.
The FDA's panel of experts voted overwhelmingly that the pill Seroquel is a useful treatment for schizophrenia in patients ages 13 to 17.
A vote on the drug's use for pediatric bipolar disorder is slated for later Wednesday.
The group also is weighing expanded approval of drugs from Eli Lilly [ LLY 35.21 +0.43 (+1.24%) ] and Pfizer [ PFE 17.87 +0.03 (+0.17%) ]for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
The FDA is not required to follow the group's advice, though it usually does.
A positive FDA decision would allow the companies to expand marketing of drugs that already make up the top-selling class of prescriptions in the U.S.
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