Astra seeks U.S. okay for Seroquel XR in anxiety

LONDON, May 8 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca Plc (AZN.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Thursday it had applied to U.S. regulators to sell its schizophrenia drug Seroquel XR as a treatment for anxiety.

If approved, Seroquel XR would be the first atypical antipsychotic medicine cleared for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder.

Seroquel XR -- a follow-on extended release version of AstraZeneca's older $4 billion-a-year seller Seroquel -- was approved in the United States for schizophrenia in 2007. AstraZeneca is also seeking clearance to sell the new drug for bipolar disorder. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler)