Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Tuesday said it has secured approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to administer its cancer medicine Velcade under the skin, the news reports said.

This is a form of injection that causes only few patients to experience the side effects of the drug.

The Food and Drug Administration has also given its nod to treat multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, the Japan-based company said.

The new method reduces the number of patients who experienced severe nerve damage.

The cancer medicine Velcade was approved by the U.S. regulator in 2003 as an intravenous injection and generated $594 million in sales for the year ended March 31.

Deborah Dunsire, CEO of Takeda’s Millenium Pharmaceuticals said, “With fewer side effects, the under-the-skin injection will probably become the preferred method of administration.” 

He also said, “We’ll have more patients that can stay on Velcade longer.”  

Takeda is a research-based global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. The company’s in-house ethical drugs are marketed in around 90 countries globally and are also recognized as the brand in major countries of the world.