U.S. FDA Grants Priority Review for Fedratinib New Drug Application in Myelofibrosis

Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG)   announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company’s New Drug Application (NDA) for fedratinib and granted a Priority Review. Fedratinib is a highly selective JAK2 inhibitor intended for the treatment of patients with myelofibrosis, a serious bone marrow disorder that disrupts the body’s normal production of blood cells.1 Under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, the FDA has set its action date as Sept. 3, 2019.

  

“The acceptance of the NDA and granting of Priority Review for fedratinib represent the first potential new treatment option after many years for patients affected by myelofibrosis.” said Jay Backstrom, M.D., Chief Medical Officer for Celgene. “Patients with myelofibrosis, including the number who are ineligible for or failed existing therapy continues to increase, representing a well-defined unmet medical need. We believe fedratinib can play an important role in the treatment of myelofibrosis and we look forward to working with the FDA as the review process advances.”

The NDA for fedratinib is based on results from a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial (JAKARTA)in patients with primary or secondary myelofibrosis, as well as a single-arm, open-label phase 2 trial (JAKARTA2) in patients with primary or secondary myelofibrosis previously exposed to ruxolitinib, the only FDA-approved treatment for the disease. Results of these two trials have been previously published in peer-reviewed journals. The FDA has also provided fedratinib Orphan Drug designation for the treatment of secondary and primary myelofibrosis.

Celgene also plans to evaluate fedratinib in combination with luspatercept.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fedratinib

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Tg-101348#section=Structures

U.S. FDA Grants Priority Review for Fedratinib New Drug Application in Myelofibrosis

Intellipharmaceutics Announces Resubmission of New Drug Application to the U.S. FDA for its Oxycodone ER

 In continuation of my update on Oxycodone ER

ntellipharmaceutics International Inc. (NASDAQ: IPCI, TSX: IPCI) ("Intellipharmaceutics" or the "Company"), a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs,  announced that it has resubmitted its New Drug Application ("NDA") to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for its Oxycodone ER product candidate.

The Company's NDA for an abuse-deterrent version of Oxycodone ER was initially accepted for filing by the FDA in February 2017. Intellipharmaceutics resubmitted the NDA in response to a Complete Response Letter ("CRL") received from the FDA, which provided certain recommendations and requests for information. The FDA granted us an extension to February 28, 2019 to resubmit our NDA under section 505(b)(2) of the U.S. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and the Company has now met this deadline.

There can be no assurance that Intellipharmaceutics will not be required to conduct further studies for Oxycodone ER, that the FDA will approve any of the Company's requested abuse-deterrent label claims or that the FDA will ultimately approve the NDA for the sale of Oxycodone ER in the U.S. market, or that it will ever be successfully commercialized.

About Intellipharmaceutics

Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs. The Company's patented Hypermatrix™ technology is a multidimensional controlled-release drug delivery platform that can be applied to a wide range of existing and new pharmaceuticals. Intellipharmaceutics has developed several drug delivery systems based on this technology platform, with a pipeline of products (some of which have received FDA approval) in various stages of development. The Company has ANDA and NDA 505(b)(2) drug product candidates in its development pipeline. These include the Company's abuse-deterrent oxycodone hydrochloride extended release formulation ("Oxycodone ER") based on its proprietary nPODDDS™ novel Point Of Divergence Drug Delivery System (for which an NDA has been filed with the FDA), and Regabatin™ XR (pregabalin extended-release capsules).

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements in this document constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and/or "forward-looking information" under the Securities Act (Ontario). These statements include, without limitation, statements expressed or implied regarding our expectations regarding our plans, goals and milestones, status of developments or expenditures relating to our business, plans to fund our current activities, and statements concerning our partnering activities, health regulatory submissions, strategy, future operations, future financial position, future sales, revenues and profitability, projected costs and market penetration and risks or uncertainties related to our ability to comply with the Nasdaq and TSX continued listing standards and our ability to develop and implement a plan of compliance with the Nasdaq continued listing standards acceptable to a Nasdaq Panel. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "appear", "unlikely", "target", "may", "will", "should", "expects", "plans", "plans to", "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "predicts", "confident", "prospects", "potential", "continue", "intends", "look forward", "could", "would", "projected", "goals", "set to", "seeking" or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology. We made a number of assumptions in the preparation of our forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which are subject to a multitude of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, future circumstances or events to differ materially from those stated in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties relating to us and our business can be found in the "Risk Factors" section of our latest annual information form, our latest Form 20-F, and our latest Form F-1 and Form F-3 (including any documents forming a part thereof or incorporated by reference therein), as amended, as well as in our reports, public disclosure documents and other filings with the securities commissions and other regulatory bodies in Canada and the U.S., which are available on www.sedar.com and www.sec.gov. The forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on what we believe are reasonable assumptions as of the date of this document and we disclaim any intention and have no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00497

Intellipharmaceutics Announces Resubmission of New Drug Application to the U.S. FDA for its Oxycodone ER

Allergan Announces FDA Acceptance of New Drug Application for Ubrogepant for the Acute Treatment of Migraine

   Allergan plc (NYSE: AGN)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the company's New Drug Application (NDA) for ubrogepant for the acute treatment of migraine in adults. The NDA filing is based on the successful completion of four clinical trials – two pivotal studies, ACHIEVE I and ACHIEVE II, which demonstrated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of ubrogepant, as well as two additional safety studies. A 10-month review period has been assigned with the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) in the fourth quarter of 2019.

"Following the acceptance and expected review of this NDA, we anticipate ubrogepant to be the first approved oral CGRP receptor antagonist for the acute treatment of migraine, and may be used in conjunction with other available migraine treatments," said David Nicholson, Chief Research and Development Officer, Allergan. "As a leader in Chronic Migraine research for more than 20 years, Allergan looks to provide options for patients who need new acute and preventative treatments for migraine. In addition to ubrogepant, we are continuing to advance the Phase 3 clinical program for atogepant, the company's second orally-administered investigational CGRP receptor antagonist specifically for migraine prevention."

In the four clinical studies (ACHIEVE I, ACHIEVE II, UBR-MD-04 and 3110-105-002) supporting the NDA, ubrogepant demonstrated efficacy, safety and tolerability in the acute treatment of migraine among a broad patient population, including those who had an insufficient response to a triptan or those patients in whom triptans were contraindicated, as well as in patients who had moderate to severe CV risk profile. Following are topline results from the key clinical studies:

Phase 3 Clinical Trials (ACHIEVE I & ACHIEVE II)

The two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials demonstrated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of orally administered ubrogepant (ACHIEVE I at 50 mg and 100 mg; and ACHIEVE II at 25 mg and 50 mg) compared to placebo to treat a single migraine attack in adults.

• The 50 mg and 100 mg doses met the studies' co-primary endpoints, demonstrating a statistically significant greater percentage of ubrogepant patients achieving pain freedom and absence of most bothersome symptom at two hours after the initial dose as compared to placebo patients; there was continued separation from placebo up to 48 hours.
• The 50 mg and 100 mg doses also met key secondary endpoints, demonstrating a statistically significant greater percentage of ubrogepant patients achieving pain relief at two hours after the initial dose compared to placebo patients.

Additional Safety Studies (UBR-MD-04 & 3110-105-002)

Study UBR-MD-04: Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, 52-week open-label extension trial in which adults with migraine were randomized 1:1:1 to usual care, ubrogepant 50 mg, or ubrogepant 100 mg to assess long-term safety and tolerability.

• Intermittent use of ubrogepant 50 mg or 100 mg for the acute treatment of migraine attacks over one year was well-tolerated. The three most frequently reported adverse events were nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection and sinusitis.

Study 3110-105-002: Phase 1, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group trial evaluated the safety and tolerability of ubrogepant 100 mg, focusing on hepatic safety in healthy participants administered high frequency intermittent  dosing (2 days of ubrogepant 100 mg followed by 2 days of placebo for 8 consecutive weeks).

• Ubrogepant 100 mg was well-tolerated following frequent dosing and was not associated with persistent increases in ALT/AST compared to placebo, supporting liver safety.

"Despite its prevalence and burden, migraine remains an undertreated disease, with many patients continuing to seek additional treatment options from their physicians," said Dr. Jessica Ailani, a neurologist and Director of the Medstar Georgetown Headache Center. "If approved, ubrogepant, the first innovation in the acute treatment of migraine in over 25 years, will be used across the entire spectrum of the disease (from episodic to chronic) helping patients achieve relief in the moments when they most demand it."

About Ubrogepant

Ubrogepant is a novel, highly potent, orally-administered CGRP receptor antagonist in development for the acute treatment of migraine. CGRP and its receptors are expressed in regions of the nervous system associated with migraine pathophysiology. CGRP receptor antagonism is a novel mechanism of action for the acute treatment of migraine that clearly differs from the mechanisms of currently available triptans (serotonin 1B/1D agonists), opioids and ergots.

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Ubrogepant

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubrogepant

Allergan Announces FDA Acceptance of New Drug Application for Ubrogepant for the Acute Treatment of Migraine

Karyopharm Announces FDA Extension of Review Period for Selinexor New Drug Application

  

Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: KPTI), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company,  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date for the New Drug Application (NDA) for selinexor. The NDA, which is currently under Priority Review by the FDA, is seeking accelerated approval for selinexor in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior therapies and whose disease is refractory to at least one proteasome inhibitor (PI), one immunomodulatory agent (IMiD), and one anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. The previously disclosed April 6, 2019 PDUFA date has been extended by three months to July 6, 2019.

On February 26, 2019, the FDA'sOncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) met to discuss the selinexor NDA and voted 8 to 5 recommending that the FDA wait for the results from Karyopharm's randomized, open-label, Phase 3 BOSTON study evaluating selinexor in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, before making a final decision regarding approval.  Although the FDA considers the recommendation of this panel, the final decision regarding the approval of the product is made by the FDA solely, and the recommendations by the panel are non-binding.

Following the ODAC meeting, at the FDA's request,  Karyopharm submitted additional, existing clinical information as an amendment to the NDA, which allowed the FDA to extend the PDUFA action date by three months. "We look forward to the continued collaboration with FDA in trying to meet the needs of patients with relapsed refractory multiple myeloma," said Sharon Shacham, PhD, MBA, Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Karyopharm.

About Selinexor

Selinexor is a first-in-class, oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (SINE) compound. Selinexor functions by binding with and inhibiting the nuclear export protein XPO1 (also called CRM1), leading to the accumulation of tumor suppressor proteins in the cell nucleus. This reinitiates and amplifies their tumor suppressor function and is believed to lead to the selective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, while largely sparing normal cells. In 2018, Karyopharm reported positive data from the Phase 2b STORM study evaluating selinexor in combination with low-dose dexamethasone in patients with triple class refractory multiple myeloma who have been previously exposed to all five of the most commonly prescribed anti-myeloma therapies currently available. Selinexor has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in multiple myeloma and Fast Track designation for the patient population evaluated in the STORM study. Karyopharm's New Drug Application (NDA) has been accepted for filing and granted Priority Review by the FDA, and oral selinexor is currently under review by the FDA as a possible new treatment for patients with triple class refractory multiple myeloma. The Company has also submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) with a request for conditional approval and was granted accelerated assessment. Selinexor is also being studied in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In 2018, Karyopharm reported positive top-line results from the Phase 2b SADAL study evaluating selinexor in patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL after at least two prior multi-agent therapies and who are ineligible for transplantation, including high dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue. Selinexor has received Fast Track designation from the FDA for the patient population evaluated in the SADAL study.  Selinexor is also being evaluated in several other mid-and later-phase clinical trials across multiple cancer indications, including in multiple myeloma in a pivotal, randomized Phase 3 study in combination with Velcade® (bortezomib) and low-dose dexamethasone (BOSTON), as a potential backbone therapy in combination with approved therapies (STOMP), in liposarcoma (SEAL), and an investigator-sponsored study in endometrial cancer (SIENDO), among others. Additional Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies are ongoing or currently planned, including multiple studies in combination with approved therapies in a variety of tumor types to further inform Karyopharm's clinical development priorities for selinexor. Additional clinical trial information for selinexor is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Selinexor#section=2D-Structure

Karyopharm Announces FDA Extension of Review Period for Selinexor New Drug Application

Harmony Biosciences Announces File Acceptance Of Its New Drug Application For Pitolisant

   Harmony Biosciences, LLC (Harmony), announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the New Drug Application (NDA) for its investigational product, pitolisant, and has granted Priority Review for this NDA. Pitolisant is a first-in-class molecule with a novel mechanism of action; it is a potent and highly selective histamine 3 (H₃) receptor antagonist/inverse agonist for the potential treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and/or cataplexy in adult patients with narcolepsy. A Priority Review designation by the FDA indicates that, if approved, pitolisant would provide a significant improvement in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment of EDS and/or cataplexy in adult patients with narcolepsy when compared to existing treatments. Harmony’s goal is to obtain FDA approval to market pitolisant in the U.S. in 2019.

“The impact of narcolepsy can be significant and severely disruptive to everyday life for up to 200,000 Americans living with this disorder,” said John C. Jacobs, President and CEO at Harmony. “This is an important step for patients and for our company, whose mission is to develop novel treatment options for people living with rare and orphan diseases.”

“Pitolisant offers a novel approach to the treatment of both EDS and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy, for which there have been no new treatment options in over 15 years,” said Jeffrey M. Dayno, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Harmony. “We look forward to working with the FDA during its review of the pitolisant NDA, with our hope of being able to offer this new treatment option to help address an important unmet medical need for people living with narcolepsy.”

The NDA submission is based on results from the clinical development program in narcolepsy, which included over 300 patients, some of whom were treated for up to five years. It also included safety data in over 1500 patients across multiple patient populations.

About Pitolisant

Pitolisant is an investigational medication in the U.S. that is not approved by the FDA. It was granted orphan designation for the treatment of narcolepsy, Fast Track designation for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy, and Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy. Pitolisant, a first-in-class medication, is a potent and highly selective histamine 3 (H₃) receptor antagonist/inverse agonist; it enhances the activity of histaminergic neurons in the brain that function to improve a patient’s wakefulness and inhibit attacks of cataplexy. It was designed and developed by Bioprojet, who has marketed the product in Europe since its approval by the European Medicines Agency in 2016. Harmony’s goal is to obtain FDA approval to market this new medication in the U.S. in 2019. If approved, pitolisant would represent the first new therapy in the U.S. in over 15 years for the treatment of both EDS and cataplexy in adult patients with narcolepsy.

Alkermes and Biogen Announce U.S. Food and Drug Administration Acceptance of Diroximel Fumarate New Drug Application for Multiple Sclerosis

   

Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS) and Biogen Inc. (Nasdaq: BIIB)  announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the New Drug Application (NDA) for diroximel fumarate (BIIB098), a novel oral fumarate in development for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The NDA has been assigned a PDUFA (Prescription Drug User Fee Act) target action date in the fourth quarter of 2019. If approved, Biogen intends to market diroximel fumarate under the brand name VUMERITY™, which has been conditionally accepted by the FDA and will be confirmed upon approval.

“The NDA filing acceptance for diroximel fumarate further demonstrates the productive collaboration between Alkermes and Biogen and brings us closer to our shared goal of offering a new therapeutic option for people with MS,” said Craig Hopkinson, M.D., chief medical officer and senior vice president, medicines development and medical affairs at Alkermes. “We believe diroximel fumarate has the potential to be a meaningful new offering for patients with MS, and we look forward to continued engagement with the FDA throughout the review process.”

“For more than two decades Biogen has been at the forefront of delivering new medicines to MS patients,” said Michael Ehlers, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president, research and development at Biogen. “We are encouraged by the FDA’s acceptance of the NDA for diroximel fumarate, which we believe could help elevate the treatment of this complex and often debilitating disease.”

Alkermes is seeking approval of diroximel fumarate under the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, referencing Biogen’s dimethyl fumarate data. The NDA submission includes data from EVOLVE-MS-1, a Phase 3, open-label, two-year safety study in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients. It is hypothesized that the distinct chemical structure of diroximel fumarate may impact its gastrointestinal (GI) tolerability. Alkermes is conducting EVOLVE-MS-2, a head-to-head GI tolerability study versus dimethyl fumarate, with results expected later this year.

About the Diroximel Fumarate Clinical Development Program

The key components of the clinical development program of diroximel fumarate include the EVOLVE-MS-1 study, a Phase 3, open-label, two-year safety study in relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, along with pharmacokinetic bridging studies comparing diroximel fumarate and dimethyl fumarate. In addition, Alkermes is conducting the EVOLVE-MS-2 study in patients with RRMS, a five-week, head-to-head gastrointestinal (GI) tolerability study versus dimethyl fumarate.

About Diroximel Fumarate

Diroximel fumarate (BIIB098) is a novel oral fumarate candidate in development for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. Diroximel fumarate is designed to rapidly convert to monomethyl fumarate in the body and may have the potential to offer differentiated GI tolerability due to its chemical structure as compared to dimethyl fumarate.

Alkermes and Biogen Announce U.S. Food and Drug Administration Acceptance of Diroximel Fumarate New Drug Application for Multiple Sclerosis

AbbVie Announces New Drug Application Accepted for Priority Review by FDA for Upadacitinib for Treatment of Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis

  

In continuation of my update on upadacitinib 

AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a research-based global biopharmaceutical company, has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for priority review its New Drug Application (NDA) for upadacitinib for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Upadacitinib is an investigational once-daily oral JAK1-selective inhibitor being studied for multiple immune-mediated diseases.1-13 AbbVie anticipates a regulatory decision in Q3 2019.

The NDA is supported by data from the global upadacitinib SELECT Phase 3 rheumatoid arthritis program evaluating more than 4,000 patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis across five of six Phase 3 studies.3-7 In all SELECT Phase 3 studies, upadacitinib met all primary and ranked secondary endpoints. The most frequent serious adverse events were infections.3-7 Top-line results from these clinical studies were previously announced.

Upadacitinib is also under review by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis.

About the SELECT Study Program 

The robust SELECT Phase 3 rheumatoid arthritis program evaluates more than 4,900 patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in six studies, five of which support regulatory submission for upadacitinib. The studies include assessments of efficacy, safety and tolerability across a broad range of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Key measures of efficacy evaluated include ACR responses, Disease Activity Score (DAS28-CRP) and inhibition of radiographic progression. More information on these trials can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02706847, NCT03086343, NCT02629159, NCT02706873, NCT02706951, NCT02675426).

About Upadacitinib

Discovered and developed by AbbVie, upadacitinib is an investigational oral, small molecule JAK1-selective inhibitor being studied for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and other immune-mediated diseases.1-2 The FDA granted priority review for AbbVie's NDA for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in Q1 2019. Phase 3 trials of upadacitinib in atopic dermatitis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis are ongoing and it is also being investigated to treat ankylosing spondylitis.9-13Upadacitinib is not approved and its safety and efficacy have not been evaluated by regulatory authorities.

Alkermes Receives Complete Response Letter From U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ALKS 5461 New Drug Application

In continuation f my update on ALKS 5461

 Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS) announced that it received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its New Drug Application (NDA) for ALKS 5461 for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). 

The CRL states that the FDA is unable to approve the ALKS 5461 NDA in its present form and is requesting additional clinical data to provide substantial evidence of effectiveness of ALKS 5461 for the adjunctive treatment of MDD. Alkermes plans to meet with the FDA to discuss the contents of the CRL and potential next steps for ALKS 5461. This interaction with the Agency will inform whether there is a viable path forward for the ALKS 5461 program.

The NDA submission for ALKS 5461 was based on results from a clinical efficacy and safety package with data from more than 30 clinical trials and more than 1,500 patients with MDD. Throughout the clinical development program, ALKS 5461 demonstrated a consistent profile of antidepressant activity, safety and tolerability in the adjunctive treatment of MDD.

About ALKS 5461

ALKS 5461 is a proprietary, investigational, once-daily oral medicine that acts as an opioid system modulator and represents a novel mechanism of action for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients with an inadequate response to standard antidepressant therapies. ALKS 5461 is a fixed-dose combination of buprenorphine, a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist and kappa-opioid receptor antagonist, and samidorphan, a mu-opioid receptor antagonist.

About Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

According to the DSM-5® (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition), major depressive disorder (MDD) is a condition in which patients exhibit depressive symptoms, such as a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities consistently for at least a two-week period, and demonstrate impaired social, occupational, educational or other important functioning. An estimated 16.2 million people in the U.S. suffered from MDD in 2016,1 the majority of whom may not adequately respond to initial antidepressant therapy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buprenorphine/samidorphan

Alkermes Receives Complete Response Letter From U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ALKS 5461 New Drug Application

FDA Grants Priority Review for Daiichi Sankyo’s New Drug Application for CSF1R Inhibitor Pexidartinib for Treatment of Patients with TGCT, a Rare, Debilitating Tumor

  

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted a New Drug Application (NDA) and granted Priority Review for pexidartinib for the treatment of adult patients with symptomatic tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGCT), which is associated with severe morbidity or functional limitations, and which is not amenable to improvement with surgery.  TGCT, also referred to as pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) or giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath (GCT-TS), is a non-malignant tumor of the joint or tendon sheath, which can be locally aggressive and debilitating in some patients. There are no currently approved systemic therapies for TGCT.

A Priority Review designation is granted by the FDA to drugs that, if approved, would be significant improvements in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of serious conditions when compared to standard applications. Under Priority Review, the FDA aims to take action on an application within six months, as compared to ten months under standard review. The FDA has designated August 3, 2019 as the PDUFA Action date for this application. 

On January 31, 2019, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recognized “Progress in Treating Rare Cancers” as the “Advance of the Year”, and selected pexidartinib as one of five significant advancements in rare disease treatment, calling it the first promising investigational therapy for TGCT.

The NDA is based on results of the pivotal phase 3 ENLIVEN study of oral pexidartinib, the first placebo-controlled study of a systemic investigational therapy in patients with TGCT. Results of the phase 3 ENLIVEN study were presented during an oral presentation at the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

“We are pleased to announce that the FDA has accepted our application for pexidartinib with Priority Review designation, potentially bringing a treatment option to patients for whom there is no approved therapy,” said Dale Shuster, Ph.D., Executive Director, Global Oncology R&D, Daiichi Sankyo. “Current treatment options for TGCT are largely limited to surgery, but for some patients the disease is debilitating and not amenable to improvement with surgery. We are committed to working with the FDA to potentially bring pexidartinib to carefully-selected patients as soon as possible.”

“We are excited about the first-in-class potential of pexidartinib, another targeted therapy discovered by Plexxikon,” said Gideon Bollag, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Plexxikon Inc., Daiichi Sankyo’s small molecule structure-guided R&D center in Berkeley, CA and a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. “Our drug discovery process uses structural data and a specialized scaffold-like screening library to identify and optimize novel drug candidates.”

ENLIVEN is a pivotal, double-blind, randomized, global multi-center phase 3 study that evaluated pexidartinib in patients with symptomatic advanced TGCT for whom surgical removal of the tumor would be associated with potentially worsening functional limitation or severe morbidity. The first part of the study, the double-blind phase, enrolled 120 patients who were randomized (1:1) to receive either pexidartinib or placebo at 1000 mg/d for 2 weeks followed by 800 mg/d for 22 weeks in order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pexidartinib versus placebo. The primary endpoint of the study was the percentage of patients achieving a complete or partial response after 24 weeks of treatment (Week 25), as assessed with centrally-read MRI scans using RECIST 1.1 criteria. Key secondary endpoints included range of motion, response by tumor volume score, PROMIS physical function, stiffness and measures of pain reduction.

The ENLIVEN study met its primary endpoint of overall response rate. In the ENLIVEN study, hepatic toxicities were more frequent with pexidartinib versus placebo (AST or ALT ≥3X ULN: 33 percent, total bilirubin ≥2X ULN: 5 percent, N=61). Eight patients discontinued pexidartinib due to hepatic adverse events (AEs); four were serious nonfatal AEs with increased bilirubin, one lasting ~7 months. In non-TGCT development studies using pexidartinib, two severe liver toxicity cases (one required liver transplant, one was associated with death) were observed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pexidartinib

Zogenix Submits New Drug Application to U.S. Food & Drug Administration for Fintepla for the Treatment of Dravet Syndrome

     

Zogenix, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZGNX), a global pharmaceutical company developing rare disease therapies,  announced it has completed its rolling submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for Fintepla (ZX008, low-dose fenfluramine) for the treatment of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome. Dravet syndrome is an intractable and difficult-to-treat epilepsy that begins in infancy and is associated with frequent, severe, and potentially life-threatening seizures, developmental delay, and cognitive impairment.

Both applications are based on data from two pivotal Phase 3 trials in Dravet syndrome and an interim analysis from an ongoing open-label extension study, which included 232 patients treated for up to 21 months.

“Our concurrent submissions to the FDA and EMA are the culmination of four years’ effort for Zogenix, our investigators, and the families who participated in the ZX008 clinical trial program,” said Stephen J. Farr, President and Chief Executive Officer of Zogenix. “We are honored to have partnered with such dedicated people to develop a potential new treatment for this rare and often catastrophic disease and look forward to working closely with the FDA and EMA during the review process.”

Zogenix is also investigating Fintepla in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, another rare childhood-onset epilepsy, for which a Phase 3 trial is ongoing.

About Dravet Syndrome

Dravet syndrome is a rare form of intractable (treatment-resistant) epilepsy that begins in infancy and is associated with frequent, severe, and potentially life-threatening seizures, developmental delay, cognitive impairment, and an elevated risk of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).i,ii  Early estimates on the incidence of Dravet syndrome ranged from one in 20,000 to one in 40,000; however more recent research suggests the incidence may be as frequent as one in 15,700.iii The disease also has an impact on the entire family, often resulting in substantial financial, physical, psychosocial and emotional burdens. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenfluramine

Zogenix Submits New Drug Application to U.S. Food & Drug Administration for Fintepla for the Treatment of Dravet Syndrome

New Drug Application for Insomnia Disorder Treatment Lemborexant Submitted in the United States

Eisai Co., Ltd. (CEO: Haruo Naito, “Eisai”) and Purdue Pharma L.P. (President and CEO: Craig Landau, MD, “Purdue Pharma”) today announced that a new drug application has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for lemborexant, an investigational agent for sleep-wake regulation, seeking approval for the treatment of insomnia, a sleep-wake disorder.

This application was based on the results of two pivotal Phase 3 clinical studies in patients with insomnia, SUNRISE 1 (Study 304) and SUNRISE 2 (Study 303), enrolling approximately 2,000 patients, as well as important safety studies, including assessment of postural stability after middle-of-the-night awakening and a next-morning driving study. SUNRISE 1, a one-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, included the first ever Phase 3 head-to-head comparison versus zolpidem ER and objectively assessed sleep parameters (time to sleep onset, sleep efficiency, and wake after sleep onset) resulting in the largest (objective) polysomnography dataset collected to date in patients with insomnia. SUNRISE 2 was a 12-month study and subjectively assessed for ability to fall asleep and stay asleep based on patient self reports (sleep diaries).

Lemborexant, which acts on the orexin neurotransmitter system and is believed to regulate sleep and wake by dampening wakefulness without impeding the ability to awaken to external stimuli, is being jointly developed by Eisai and Purdue Pharma for the treatment of multiple sleep-wake disorders, including insomnia disorder. In addition to the treatment of insomnia disorder, a Phase 2 clinical study of lemborexant in patients with irregular sleep-wake rhythm disorder and mild to moderate Alzheimer's dementia is underway. Information about ongoing clinical studies is available at clinicaltrials.gov.

Eisai and Purdue Pharma are striving to address new unmet medical needs and to improve the lives of patients and their families.

This release discusses investigational uses of an agent in development and is not intended to convey conclusions about efficacy or safety. There is no guarantee that such an investigational agent will successfully complete clinical development or gain health authority approval.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemborexant







New Drug Application for Insomnia Disorder Treatment Lemborexant Submitted in the United States

Alkermes Announces FDA Acceptance for Review of New Drug Application for ALKS 5461 for the Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

In continuation of my update on ALKS-5461  .................

We know that, Buprenorphine/samidorphan (developmental code name ALKS-5461) is a combination drug formulation of buprenorphine and samidorphan acting as a μ-opioid receptor antagonist which is under development by Alkermes as an adjunct to antidepressant therapy in treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Buprenorphine 

 Samidorphan

Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS)announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the New Drug Application (NDA) for ALKS 5461, a novel, once-daily, oral investigational medicine for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients with an inadequate response to standard antidepressant therapies. FDA's target action date for the ALKS 5461 NDA is Jan. 31, 2019.

FDA's acceptance of the ALKS 5461 NDA and rescission of the Refusal to File letter issued March 30, 2018 follows productive interactions with the Agency in which Alkermes clarified certain aspects of the NDA submission. No additional data or analyses were submitted by Alkermes to FDA.

"FDA's filing of the ALKS 5461 application is a positive step forward for patients suffering from major depressive disorder, a serious disease where inadequate response to existing antidepressants remains a well-known and significant treatment limitation, and where there have been no new pharmacological treatment approaches in 30 years," stated Craig Hopkinson, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Medicines Development and Medical Affairs at Alkermes. "We will continue to engage with the FDA throughout the review process, as we work to bring this important medicine to patients."

The NDA filing for ALKS 5461 is based on results from a clinical efficacy and safety package with data from more than 30 clinical trials and more than 1,500 patients with MDD. Throughout the clinical development program, ALKS 5461 demonstrated a consistent profile of antidepressant activity, safety and tolerability in the adjunctive treatment of MDD.