US Approval Research Articles

Patient Profile and Treatment Characteristics of Early Ritlecitinib Initiators in the US

Introduction: Alopecia Areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by unpredictable, non-scarring hair loss. In the ALLEGRO phase 2b/3 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, ritlecitinib 50mg demonstrated a significantly greater proportion of patients achieving 80% or more scalp hair coverage at 24 weeks compared to placebo. In June 2023, the FDA approved ritlecitinib (50mg) for treatment of severe AA in adults and adolescents 12 years and older. This study aims to address how ritlecitinib is being integrated into real-world practice by assessing the characteristics of patients prescribed ritlecitinib within the first three months following approval. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study analyzing data from the Komodo Healthcare Map (TM) dataset (Jan 2016-Sept 2023). Komodo Healthcare Map is comprised of open and closed claims for more than 330M lives in the US. The sample included patients aged ≥12 years with ≥1 prescription for ritlecitinib on or after June 23, 2023 (first prescription date defined the index date), ≥1 diagnoses of AA on or before the index date, and ≥12 months of continuous enrollment/eligibility proxy prior to study entry. Clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and AA treatment history were assessed over the 12-month pre-index period. All variables were analyzed descriptively and stratified by age (adolescent: 12-17, adult: ≥18). Results: Among the 150 patients included, 72% were prescribed ritlecitinib by a dermatologist. Over half were female, 52% were adolescents, and 78% were commercially insured. Approximately 30% of patients had alopecia totalis/alopecia universalis (AT/AU); 11% had ≥1 other autoimmune disorder, 23% had ≥1 atopic disorder, and 21% had ≥1 mental/emotional disorders. In the 12 months prior to receiving ritlecitinib, 34% of adolescents received no AA treatments, 30% received systemic immunomodulators (19% Janus kinase inhibitors [JAKi], 13% other systemic immunomodulators), and 20% received topical corticosteroids. Among adults, 24% had no evidence of prior AA treatments, 35% received injectable corticosteroids, and 35% received systemic immunomodulators (21% baricitinib, 13% other JAKi, and 7% other systemic immunomodulators) during the pre-index period. Of those who had received a prior treatment, the mean time between the last days’ supply of the prior therapy and the start of ritlecitinib was 51 days. Conclusion: In the first 3 months following the US approval, ritlecitinib was prescribed to a broad range of patients; including adolescent and adults; those with and without prior treatments; and those with and without various comorbidities. This suggests that ritlecitinib may provide new opportunities to (re)engage in AA-directed care. Funding: this study was funded by Pfizer Inc.

Efficacy and Safety of Sovateltide in Patients with Acute Cerebral Ischaemic Stroke: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicentre, Phase III Clinical Trial.

Sovateltide (Tycamzzi™), an endothelin-B (ET-B) receptor agonist, increases cerebral blood flow, has anti-apoptotic activity, and promotes neural repair following cerebral ischaemic stroke. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sovateltide in adult participants with acute cerebral ischaemic stroke. This was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, Phase III clinical trial of sovateltide in participants with cerebral ischaemic stroke receiving standard of care (SOC) in India. Patients aged 18-78 years presenting up to 24 h after the onset of symptoms with radiologic confirmation of ischaemic stroke and a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) of ≥ 6were enrolled. Patients with recurrent stroke, receiving endovascular therapy, or with intracranial haemorrhage were excluded. The study drug (saline or sovateltide [0.3 µg/kg] was administered intravenously in three doses at 3 ± 1 h intervals on Days 1, 3, and 6, and follow-up was 90 days). The Multivariate Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) was used to impute the missing assessments on the endpoints. An unpaired t-test, two-way analysis of variance with Tukey's multiple comparison test, and the Chi-square test were used for the statistical analysis. The objective was to determine at Day 90 (1) the number of patients with a modified Rankin Scale score (mRS) 0-2, and (2) the number of patients with an NIHSS 0-5 at 90 days. Patients were randomised with 80 patients in the sovateltide and 78 in the control group. Patients received the investigational drug at about 18 h of stroke onset in both control and sovateltide groups. The median NIHSS at randomisation was 10.00 (95% CI 9.99-11.65) in the control group and 9.00 (95% CI 9.11-10.46) in the sovateltide group. Seventy patients completed the 90-day follow-up in the control group and 67 in the sovateltide group. The proportion of intention-to-treat (ITT) patients with mRS 0-2 score at Day 90 post-randomisation was 22.67% higher (odds ratio [OR] 2.75, 95% CI 1.37-5.57); similarly, the proportion of patients with NIHSS score of 0-5 at Day 90 was 17.05% more (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.27-5.90) in the sovateltide group than in the control group. An improvement of ≥ 2 points on the mRS was observed in 51.28% and 72.50% of patients in the control and sovateltide groups, respectively (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.29-4.81). Seven of 78 patients (8.97%) in the control group and 7 of 80 (8.75%) in the sovateltide group developed intracranial haemorrhage (ICH). The adverse events were not related to sovateltide. The sovateltide group had a greater number of cerebral ischaemic stroke patients with lower mRS and NIHSS scores at 90 days post-treatment than the control group. This trial supported the regulatory approval of sovateltide in India, but a multinational RESPECT-ETB trial will be conducted for US approval. Clinical Trials Registry, India (CTRI/2019/09/021373) and the United States National Library of Medicine, ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04047563).

Long-term safety and tolerability of hyaluronidase-facilitated subcutaneous immunoglobulin 10% as maintenance therapy for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: Results from the ADVANCE-CIDP 3 trial.

Hyaluronidase-facilitated subcutaneous immunoglobulin (fSCIG) consists of subcutaneous human immunoglobulin G (IgG) 10% with recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20) and can be administered at the same dose and interval as intravenous IgG (IVIG). fSCIG recently received US approval as maintenance therapy for adults with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) and European approval for adults and children with CIDP after stabilization with IVIG. ADVANCE-CIDP 3 (NCT02955355) was an open-label long-term extension of the Phase 3 double-blind randomized placebo-controlled ADVANCE-CIDP 1 study (NCT02549170) that examined fSCIG safety and efficacy as maintenance CIDP therapy. Primary outcomes were safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity. Efficacy was an exploratory outcome. The study provided 220 patient-years of follow-up data from 85 patients. Median (range) exposure was 33 (0-77) months. Patients received fSCIG every 4 weeks (88.2%) or every 3 weeks (11.8%). Median (range) 4-weekly IgG dose equivalent was 64.0 (28.0-200.0) g. Mean (standard deviation) infusion duration was 135.5 (62.8) minutes. Most adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate and self-limiting. Of the 1406 AEs, only 48 were severe and 30 were serious. fSCIG-related AEs (n = 798) included infusion site reactions such as pain, redness, and pruritus. Three infusions (0.1%) were reduced in rate, interrupted, or stopped due to intolerability. Relapse occurred in 10 of 77 patients (13.0%); annual relapse rate was 4.5%. An anti-rHuPH20 antibody titer ≥1:160 was detected in 14 of 84 patients (16.7%); patients who tested positive (≥1:160) had similar relapse rates versus those who tested negative (16.7% vs. 12.3%, respectively). ADVANCE-CIDP 3 demonstrated favorable fSCIG long-term safety and tolerability consistent with its established safety profile, and a low relapse rate, supporting use as maintenance CIDP treatment.

Characteristics of Drugs from Non-Global Companies for Hematologic Malignancies and Impact on Global Regulatory Approval.

The number of drugs developed by non-global companies, including biotech start-ups, has increased; however, their characteristics and impact on global regulatory approval are not well understood. Using a public database, we identified new molecular entities (NMEs) approved for hematologic malignancies in the US from January 2011 to December 2022. They were divided into those submitted by non-global companies (non-global group) and those by global companies (global group). We identified 48 NMEs, of which 19 (40%) were classified as non-global. Of these, 13 (68%) were from US-based companies. In the non-global group, 63% (12/19) of the NMEs had received accelerated approval in the US, of which only 50% (6/12) had a post-approval confirmatory trial by September 2023. Regarding the impact on the approval in the European Union (EU) and Japan, the unapproval rate of 2 years after US approval was higher in the non-global group than in the global group in the EU (56% vs. 21%) and Japan (94% vs. 64%). In conclusion, many NMEs from non-global companies had received accelerated approval in the US based on phase I/II trials. NMEs from non-global companies had a higher unapproval rate at 2 years in both the EU and Japan.

Abstract PO2-17-06: Real world treatment patterns and clinical outcomes by germline BRCA (gBRCA) mutation status in patients with HER2-negative early breast cancer in the US community oncology setting: a retrospective observational chart-review study

Abstract Background: Women with early-stage breast cancer (eBC) who have inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations (gBRCAm) are typically diagnosed at a younger age and often require more intensive treatment. In the randomized, double-blind OlympiA trial of HER2-negative (HER2–) gBRCAm patients, olaparib, a targeted poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi), significantly improved invasive disease free survival (IDFS), distant disease free survival (DDFS) and overall survival (OS) and was subsequently approved for adjuvant treatment of gBRCAm HER2– high-risk eBC patients. This study examined the real-world patient characteristics, treatment patterns and clinical outcomes by gBRCA status among patients with HER2– eBC in a US community oncology setting prior to olaparib US approval for treatment of eBC. Methods: This retrospective observational study used chart review data from The US Oncology Network's iKnowMed database to examine adult patients diagnosed with HER2– eBC (stage I-III) initiating systemic neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy with chemotherapy and/or endocrine therapy between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2018. Patients with valid gBRCAm test results (all gBRCAm and randomly selected BRCAwt patients) were included and followed through December 31, 2021. Patients were excluded if they had HER2+ tumors and progressed to stage IV within 6 months after initiation of neoadjuvant therapy or were diagnosed with another primary cancer. Descriptive analyses assessed patient characteristics. Kaplan Meier methods and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models (CPHM) were used to evaluate IDFS, DDFS and OS by gBRCA status and by HR+/HER2– or TNBC eBC subsets. Results: Among 298 BC patients meeting initial criteria, 42% had gBRCAm (n=124, 43% hormone receptor positive [HR+], 56% triple-negative BC [TNBC], 1% unknown), and 58% had gBRCAwt (n=174, 74% HR+, 22% TNBC). Median (interquartile) age at surgery was numerically lower in gBRCAm (45 [36,55] years) than gBRCAwt (48 [41,55] years) patients. A numerically higher proportion of gBRCAm patients received neoadjuvant therapy compared with gBRCAwt (Neoadj: gBRCAm 37.1% vs gBRCAwt 12.6%) but the reverse was true for adjuvant (Adj: gBRCAm 42.7% vs gBRCAwt 65.5%) and neoadjuvant + adjuvant use was numerically similar (Neoadj+Adj: gBRCAm 20.1% vs gBRCAwt 21.8%). The majority of TNBC patients received neoadjuvant therapy while the majority of HR+ patients received adjuvant therapy (Neoadj: TNBC 51.4% vs HR+ 6.6%, Adj: TNBC 29.0% vs HR+ 71.4%, Neoadj+Adj: TNBC 19.6% vs HR+ 22.0%). Median IDFS, DDFS, and OS in both study cohorts were not reached. Median follow-up from surgery was < 5 years (overall 59.0 months; gBRCAm 50.6 months; gBRCAwt 61.3 months). At 60 months, in gBRCAm and gBRCAwt respectively, estimated IDFS were 85.5% and 90.9%, estimated DDFS 88.1% and 92.2%, and estimated survival 91.9% and 95.2%. At 60 months, in HR+/HER2– and TNBC respectively, estimated IDFS were 92.4% and 81.2%, estimated DDFS 93.9% and 85.7%, and estimated survival 96.3% and 90.9%. CPHM results showed that risks of invasive disease (HR 1.74; 95% CI 0.83-3.64; p=0.15), distant disease (HR 1.24; 95% CI 0.50-3.07; p=0.65) and death (HR 1.79; 95% CI 0.52-6.13; p=0.353) were similar between gBRCAm and gBRCAwt patients. Between HR+/HER2– and TNBC patients, risks of invasive disease (HR=0.63; 95% CI 0.21-1.89; p=0.41), distant disease (HR=0.42; 95% CI 0.11-1.67; p=0.22) and death (HR 0.48; 95% CI 0.09-2.70; p=0.41) were similar. Conclusions: This real-world chart review study of data through 2021 (before PARPi approval for eBC) with limited follow up of 5 years found that gBRCAm patients had a numerically shorter survival (IDFS, DDFS and OS) than gBRCAwt, but this difference was not statistically significantly different. Given that the follow-up period was too short to draw conclusions, further studies examining clinical outcomes over a longer follow-up period after approval of PARPi may be of interest. Citation Format: Jay Andersen, Jagadeswara Earla, Nicole Fulcher, Juliet Ndukum, Nicholas J Robert, Mark Robson, Weiyan Li, Jaime Mejia. Real world treatment patterns and clinical outcomes by germline BRCA (gBRCA) mutation status in patients with HER2-negative early breast cancer in the US community oncology setting: a retrospective observational chart-review study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO2-17-06.

LIBRETTO-431: Confirming the Superiority of Selpercatinib to Chemotherapy and the Lack of Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced RET Fusion-Positive (RET+) NSCLC, Another Unique Never-Smoker Predominant Molecular Subtype of NSCLC.

Selpercatinib, a potent and highly selective RET kinase inhibitor with significant CNS activity, has recently gained US approval for the treatment of NSCLC harboring RET fusions (RET+) based on a large-scale single-arm study. The LIBRETTO-431 trial was the global pivotal registration phase 3 trial comparing selpercatinib to platinum-based chemotherapy with or without pembrolizumab as the first-line treatment of patients with advanced RET+ NSCLC. Never-smokers constituted 67.4% of the RET+ NSCLC patients enrolled. KIF5B-RET made up the vast majority (77%) of the RET+ fusion variant with known fusion partner. The results of this study demonstrated significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) benefit as well as impressive intracranial disease response in participants treated with selpercatinib as compared to those treated with chemotherapy, with a HR [hazard ratio] of 0.46 (95% CI 0.33-0.70; P < 0.001) for the intention-to-treat (ITT)-pembrolizumab group and HR of 0.46 (95% CI 0.31-0.70, P < 0.001) for the overall ITT-group of patients. The addition of pembrolizumab to platinum/pemetrexed chemotherapy resulted in numerically identical PFS (11.2 months). These results point to selpercatinib's superiority to traditional chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of NSCLC harboring RET fusions and add to literature on the salience of targeted precision oncology and lack of efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor in NSCLC patients with never-smoker predominant actionable driver mutations. RET+ NSCLC should be added to the list of molecular subtypes (EGFR+, ALK+, ROS1+) of NSCLC to be excluded in chemoimmunotherapy trial.

Abstract 3817: Real-world clinical outcomes in patients with advanced ROS1+non-small cell lung cancer in the US

Abstract Introduction: ROS1 rearrangements define a rare molecular subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), occurring in 1-2% of patients (pts) with advanced NSCLC (aNSCLC). Crizotinib and entrectinib received US approval for ROS1+ aNSCLC in March 2016 and August 2019, respectively. Few studies have addressed temporal trends in first-line (1L) utilization since these drugs’ approval. This study describes treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in pts with ROS1+ aNSCLC in the US. Methods: This retrospective study used the nationwide Flatiron Health (FH) electronic health record-derived de-identified database and included adult pts with ROS1+ aNSCLC who received 1L (index) therapy between March 2015 and December 2022. Pts were followed until March 31, 2023, and had ≥ 3 months of follow-up post-index date. Treatment-related (sequence, time to treatment discontinuation [TTD], time to next treatment [TTNT]) and clinical (real-world progression-free survival [rwPFS], overall survival [OS]) outcomes of 1L therapy were assessed using descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier methods. Results: In the FH database, 87,784 pts had aNSCLC, and 242 were ROS1+. The median age was 65 years; most were female (64%), White (67%), non-squamous (91%) and had a history of smoking (52%), with most pts having ECOG performance status 0 (31%) or 1 (35%). 19% had brain metastases prior to or up to 30 days post-index. Median follow-up time was 14.2 months. In 1L treatment, only 59% received ROS1-sensitive TKI monotherapy (i.e. crizotinib, entrectinib, ceritinib), with 97 (40%) and 40 (17%) treated with crizotinib and entrectinib monotherapy, respectively. Median TTD and TTNT for 1L was 6.4 (95% CI: 5.0, 7.6) and 7.6 (95% CI: 6.5, 9.4) months, respectively. Among 1L crizotinib pts, 51% had 2L treatments and 57% of those initiated another ROS1-sensitive TKI (16% entrectinib). Among 1L entrectinib pts, 43% had 2L therapy; of these, 82% initiated another ROS1-sensitive TKI. Median rwPFS was 7.5 (95% CI: 6.2, 9.3) months (1L crizotinib, 8.6 [95% CI: 5.3, 13.0] months; 1L entrectinib, 8.0 [95% CI: 5.3, 13.6] months). Median OS was 29.0 (95% CI: 19.4, 35.9) months (1L crizotinib, 31 [95% CI: 19.4, not estimable [NE]] months; 1L entrectinib, NE). Patients initiated ROS1-sensitive TKIs (crizotinib, entrectinib or ceritinib) in 1L across each year of the study (2015: 67%, 2016: 58%, 2017: 51%, 2018: 47%, 2019: 63%, 2020: 81%, 2021: 52%, 2022: 68%). Overall, 5% received checkpoint-inhibitor (CPI) only, 17% chemotherapy alone, and 7% a chemotherapy/CPI combination. Conclusion: Compared to relevant clinical trials, ROS1+ aNSCLC pts in this real-world study were older, had greater smoking exposure, and worse overall survival. Only 59% of pts initiated 1L ROS1-sensitive TKI monotherapy. These results highlight potential disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of ROS1+ NSCLC and opportunities for improving clinical outcomes. Citation Format: Reginald Villacorta, Saurabh Ray, Yong Yuan, Sushupta Vijapur, Sonia Kim, Haiyan Sun, Sky Myers, Vincent Lam. Real-world clinical outcomes in patients with advanced ROS1+non-small cell lung cancer in the US [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 3817.

Satisfaction with Control of Mild to Moderate Atopic Dermatitis with Ruxolitinib Cream: US Physician and Patient Perspectives.

The 2021 US approval of ruxolitinib cream for treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) in patients aged ≥ 12years was based on the results of two pivotal phase 3 studies. Currently, real-world data to describe effectiveness of ruxolitinib cream and physician satisfaction with treatment remain limited. Our objective is to describe disease control among adults with mild to moderate AD prescribed ruxolitinib cream and physician satisfaction with treatment. Data were from the Adelphi AD Disease Specific Programme™, a US real-world, cross-sectional survey of physician-reported data, undertaken between August 2022 and March 2023. For patients aged ≥ 18years, physicians reported patient demographics, clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and physician satisfaction with disease control. Descriptive analysis of data for patients with mild to moderate AD prior to the initiation of ruxolitinib cream and treated with ruxolitinib cream for ≥ 1month was undertaken. Among physician-reported data from 1360 patients with AD, 149 patients had received ruxolitinib cream (in combination or as monotherapy) for ≥ 1month, including 59 patients receiving monotherapy. Prior to treatment with ruxolitinib cream, 84.6% of patients had moderate AD (Investigator's Global Assessment, IGA of 3), whereas after treatment (median duration, 26weeks), only 21.5% had an IGA of 3, with 48.3% of patients having clear or almost clear skin (IGA of 0/1). For these patients, 81.2% were not currently experiencing a flare, and physicians were satisfied with disease control for 87.3%. Results were similar in patients receiving monotherapy. The most frequent physician-reported reasons for prescribing ruxolitinib cream included relieving itch, improving lesion redness/thickness, achieving disease control, and reducing/controlling flares. These real-world findings demonstrate effective disease control and physician satisfaction with ruxolitinib cream for the treatment of AD in adults in a clinical practice setting. Outcomes were similar whether ruxolitinib cream was prescribed as monotherapy or in combination regimens, suggesting a role for ruxolitinib cream across the spectrum of disease.

A REVIEW OF MAGGOT DEBRIDEMENT THERAPY IN DIABETIC FOOT ULCER

the protocol for treating diabetic foot ulcers which occur in at least 15% of patients with diabetes and precede 84% of leg amputations. Debridement may be surgical or non-surgical. Surgical debridement is carried out using sharp instruments. It has some complications like perioperative bleeding and general complications of anaesthesia. It demands skilled surgeon. Non-surgical debridement includes autolytic, enzymatic, mechanical and biological debridement. All the methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. Biological debridement is a technique based on the use of maggots to remove necrotic tissues from chronic wound. Maggots or larvae of flies are applied on the infected wound. Maggots excrete the enzyme which degrade and liquefy necrotic tissue and later on ingest this from the wound. It is relatively painless procedure as compared to the surgical debridement. This technique has been granted FDA approval in US since 2004. All classical and contemporary literature especially PubMed database regarding maggot debridement therapy and diabetic foot ulcer is scrutinised for the review. It was found that Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) is the better technique as compared to other non-surgical debridement methods for management of diabetic foot ulcer. Sushruta the father of surgery was the first to introduce the maggot therapy in context to kaphaja arbuda (a type of tumour). It is the need of time to conserve this basic principle as a non-surgical method for debridement.

An Investigation in the Comparability of the Exposure and Recommended Dose of Selected Pfizer Drugs in East Asian Countries: Is Mutual Usage of Clinical Data Among East Asian Countries Feasible?

The current regulatory path for new drug registration in East Asian countries has led to significant delay of the new medicines in these countries. A unified regulatory path and allowance of mutual usage of clinical data in East Asian countries would lead to cost saving in drug development and expedite the new drug registration in these countries. The objectives of the present analysis are to compare the approval dates of a selection of products developed by Pfizer in the United States and East Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea) and compare the pharmacokinetics and recommended doses of these products in East Asian countries. Eighteen products (20 drugs, 2 products with 2 combination drugs) with exposure data available in at least 2 of the 3 East Asian countries across different therapeutic areas were included in the analyses. The results showed that most products had delayed approval in East Asian countries (up to 8 years) after US or EU approval. No distinct differences were observed in the drug exposure and recommended doses for the selected products in East Asian countries. These results together with literature data of genetic similarity of the East Asian populations support the mutual usage of the clinical data in the East Asian countries for expedited regulatory submission and approval.

Approval Delay in Drugs from Non-Global Company in Europe and Japan: Analysis of Novel Drugs for Hematologic Malignancies

Background: Since most therapeutic agents for hematologic malignancies are developed and first approved in the US, it is important for each country to review and approve these agents without delay. Recently, the number of drugs developed by non-global companies including biotech start-ups has increased. Most of these non-global companies are located in the US, and typically do not have offices outside of the US. Thus, it is possible that drugs developed by non-global companies are likely to be approved later in countries other than the US, including the EU. However, their characteristics have not been fully evaluated. Study Design and Methods: Using the public database of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from January 2011 to December 2020, new molecular entity (NME) drugs for hematological malignancies that were approved in the US during the relevant period were identified. Cellular products, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, were excluded from this analysis. NMEs for hematological malignancies were divided into two categories according to the applicant company: NMEs from non-global companies (non-Global group) and NMEs from global companies (Global group). Global companies were defined as those with branches or headquarters in all following regions: the US, the EU, and Japan. The others were classified as non-global companies. Based on the public databases of Japanese regulatory agency (PMDA) and European regulatory agency (EMA), we estimated the rate at which these drugs remained unapproved (unapproved rate) using the Kaplan-Meier method. The unapproved rate of NMEs was compared between the non-Global and Global groups. Results: A total of 39 NMEs for hematologic malignancies approved in the US during the study period were identified. Of these, 13 (33%) NMEs were from non-global companies (non-Global group) and 26 (67%) NMEs were from global companies (Global group). The proportion of orphan drug (13/13 vs. 26/26, p=1.000) and priority review designation (12/13 [92%] vs. 22/26 [85%], p=0.648) were not significantly different between the non-Global and Global groups. In the non-Global group, 12 (92%) NMEs were from the companies headquartered in the US, while 10 (39%) NMEs were from the US companies in the Global group. The proportion of pivotal phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ trial used for marketing authorization in the US was significantly higher in the non-Global group (11/13 [85%] vs. 13/26 [50%], p=0.045). The proportion of pivotal trials enrolling Japanese participants was lower in the non-Global group (0/13) than in the Global group (6/26 [23%]), while the proportion was similar in the EU (9/13 [69%] in the non-Global group and 16/26 [62%] in the Global group). In the EU, the unapproved rate 2 years after the US approval was higher in the non-Global group (54% vs. 22%), but the 5-year unapproved rate was rather lower than that in the Global group (15% vs. 22%) (Figure 1a). Similarly, in Japan, the unapproved rate of NMEs in the non-Global group was higher at 2 years (92% vs. 65%), but rather slightly lower than that in the Global group at 5 years (20% vs. 35%) (Figure 1b). After the US approval, 9 (69%) of the 13 NMEs filed by non-global companies had subsequently partnered with or been acquired by the global companies. Discussion and Conclusion: In both the EU and Japan, drugs in the non-Global group had a higher unapproved rate at 2 years. Notably, 54% of the drugs in the non-Global group were not approved in the EU, even though the participation rate in the pivotal trial used for US approval was similar between the non-Global and Global groups in the EU. However, at 5 years, the unapproved rate had decreased to approximately 20% in both the EU and Japan, presumably due to the fact that lots of the non-global companies were subsequently partnered with or acquired by the global companies.

Comparison between European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration in Granting Accelerated Marketing Authorizations for Covid-19 Medicines and their Utilized Regulations

BackgroundPrompted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to ensure timely and safe access to medicines during a pandemic, the aim of this study was to compare and contrast the EU and US regulations, processes, and outcomes pertaining to the granting of accelerated Marketing Authorizations (MAs) for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments with a view to determining how effective these regulations were in delivering safe medicines in a timely manner.MethodsMAs for medicines approved for Covid-related indications in the first two pandemic years (March 2020–February 2022) were identified using the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) websites. Authorization reports and utilized regulations were reviewed to determine and compare approval timelines, facilitated pathways, accepted clinical evidence, and effectiveness of the regulations by assessing them against time and safety standards.ResultsBy the end of February 2022, the EMA and FDA had granted 12 and 14 MAs, respectively. Two EU and two US approvals were issued in relation to new indications for already-approved treatments; the remaining ones were first-time approvals of novel vaccines and treatments. The median time to approval was 24 days for the EMA’s conditional MAs and 36 days for the USFDA’s Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) for all Covid-19 medicines. This is compared with 23 and 28 days, respectively, specifically for first-time novel vaccines and treatments authorized by both USFDA and EMA. The USFDA and EMA differed markedly in terms of the time taken to approve new indications of already-approved treatment; the USFDA took 65 days for such approval, compared with 133 days for the EMA. Where MAs were issued by both authorities, USFDA approvals were issued before EMA approvals; applications for approval were submitted to the FDA before submission to the EMA. Three EU and two US MAs were based on data from two or more phase 3 clinical trials; the remaining ones were based on single trial data. Only six EU and four US trials had been completed by the time of authorization. This was in line with regulations. While the applicable regulations shared many similarities, there were marked differences. For instance, the EU’s conditional MA regulation pertains only to first approvals of new treatments. It does not cover new indications of already-approved treatments. This contrasts with the US, where the EUA regulation applies to both types of applications, something that may have impacted approval timelines.Overall, both EU and US utilized regulations were considered to be effective. For most cases, utilizing such regulations for Covid-19 MAs resulted in faster approval timelines compared to standard MAs. They were flexible enough to manage the process of granting emergency approvals while maintaining strict requirements and allowing comprehensive reviews of the supporting evidence.ConclusionUS and EU regulations were effective in ensuring timely accelerated market access to Covid-19 medicines during the pandemic without compromising the approval standards related to safety or efficacy. The population in both regions will receive comparable access to medicines during a pandemic if sponsors submit their applications to both authorities in parallel.

RNAi pesticide moves closer to US approval

RNAi pesticide moves closer to US approval

Increasing orphan drug loss in Japan: Trends and R&D strategy for rare diseases

Rare disease (RD) patients face significant unmet therapeutic needs worldwide. However, orphan drugs approved in the United States, but not approved or developed in Japan, have increased rapidly with recently increasing US approvals, indicating greater RD drug loss in Japan. US/EU-based startups have become key players in RD drug R&D, significantly contributing to this drug loss trend. They successfully develop drugs in the United States by combining in-licensing with in-house drug discovery. Out-licensing to Japanese companies or large pharma is critical for expansion into Japan, with successes attributed to drug innovation, target indications, and transactional capabilities. These findings highlight the need to foster partnerships with startups and cultivate an ecosystem in Japan that nurtures local startups, to address drug loss and ensure access to promising drugs.

Use of Real-World Evidence in a Virtual Bridging Analysis for a Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Targeted Antibody-Drug Conjugate in Gastric Cancer.

This study bridged pharmacokinetic, efficacy, and safety clinical trial data from Japan to a Western population using real-world evidence (RWE) to investigate the antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive advanced gastric cancer. Using population pharmacokinetic and exposure-response (efficacy/safety) models, exposure-efficacy data from 117 patients and exposure-safety data from 158 patients in Japan who received T-DXd 6.4mg/kg as second-line or later treatment were bridged to RWE including covariate information from 25 Western patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer who received second-line or later T-DXd treatment. Pharmacokinetic simulations indicated that intact T-DXd and released drug (DXd) steady-state exposures were comparable between Western patients and patients from Japan; the Western/Japan ratio of exposure medians ranged from 0.82 (T-DXd steady-state minimum concentration) to 1.18 (DXd steady-state maximum concentration). Exposure-efficacy simulations estimated a confirmed objective response rate of 28.6% (90% confidence interval, 20.8-38.4) in real-world Western patients versus 40.1% (90% confidence interval, 33.5-47.0) in patients from Japan, possibly because of checkpoint inhibitor use in 4% versus 30% of patients, respectively. Western patients had a higher estimated rate of serious adverse events than patients from Japan (42.2% vs 34.6%); however, the rate of interstitial lung disease was lower (less than 10%) in Western patients. Overall, T-DXd was predicted to have meaningful clinical activity and a manageable safety profile in Western patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer. Using RWE, bridging analysis supported US approval of T-DXd 6.4mg/kg in advanced gastric cancer before a clinical trial was completed in Western patients.

Post-Marketing Safety Surveillance of Tofacitinib over 9 Years in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The safety of tofacitinib in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been demonstrated in clinical studies of≤ 4 and 9.5years, respectively. Post-marketing surveillance (PMS) data for tofacitinib from spontaneous and voluntary adverse event (AE) reports have been published for RA, but not PsA. To inform the real-world safety profile of tofacitinib in PsA, we evaluated AE reports submitted to the Pfizer safety database (including RA data for context). Endpoints included AEs, serious AEs (SAEs), AEs of special interest (AESIs; serious infections, herpes zoster, cardiovascular events, malignancies, venous thromboembolism), and fatal cases. Exposure was estimated using IQVIA global commercial sales data. Number, frequency, and reporting rates (RRs; number of events/100 patient-years' [PY] exposure) were summarized by indication and formulation (immediate release [IR] 5 or 10mg twice daily], modified release [MR] 11mg once daily, or all tofacitinib). The data-collection period differed by indication (PsA: 14December2017 [US approval, IR/MR]to6November2021; RA: 6November2012 [US approval, IR]to6November2021; MR approval, 24February2016). A total of 73,525 case reports were reviewed (PsA = 5394/RA = 68,131), with 20,706/439,370 PY (PsA/RA) ofexposure. More AEs were reported for IR versus MR (IR/MR: PsA = 8349/7602; RA = 137,476/82,153). RRs for AEs (IR/MR: PsA = 59.6/113.4; RA = 44.0/64.8) and SAEs (PsA = 8.1/13.6; RA = 8.0/9.5) were higher with MR versus IR. AE RRs (RA) in the first 4years after IR approval were 95.9 (IR; 49,439 PY) and 147.0 (MR; 2000 PY). Frequency of SAEs, AESIs, and fatal cases was mostly similar across formulations and indications. The most frequently-reported AE Preferred Terms (PsA/RA) included drug ineffective (20.0%/17.8%), pain (9.7%/10.6%), condition aggravated (9.9%/10.5%), headache (8.8%/7.9%) and, for PsA, off-label use (10.5%/3.4%). Tofacitinib PMS safety data from submitted AE reports were consistent between PsA and RA, and aligned with its known safety profile. Exposure data (lower MR versus IR; estimation from commercial sales data), reporting bias, reporter identity, and regional differences in formulation use limit interpretation.

Budesonide delayed-release capsules to reduce proteinuria in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy

ABSTRACT Introduction Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is characterized by mesangial deposition of immune complexes containing galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1). This Gd-IgA1 is believed to originate from mucosally sited B cells, which are abundant in the Peyer’s patches-rich distal ileum. Nefecon is a targeted-release form of budesonide developed to act in the distal ileum, thereby exerting a direct action on the mucosal tissue implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease. Areas covered This review discusses IgAN pathophysiology and provides an overview of the current therapeutic landscape, focusing on Nefecon, the first drug to receive accelerated US approval and conditional EU approval for the treatment of patients with IgAN at risk of rapid disease progression. Expert opinion Nefecon trial data thus far have demonstrated a promising efficacy profile, with a predictable pattern of adverse events. Treatment with Nefecon for 9 months reduces proteinuria substantially (Part A of the Phase 3 trial and the Phase 2b trial). A nearly complete prevention of deterioration of renal function has been observed at 12 months in patients at greatest risk of rapid disease progression. Long-term data from Part B of the Phase 3 study will provide 24-month data, furthering understanding of the durability of the 9-month treatment course.

Five-year subgroup analysis of tafasitamab + lenalidomide from the phase II L-MIND study in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

e19522 Background: The Phase II L-MIND study led to accelerated US approval and EU conditional authorization of the CD19-targeted immunotherapy, tafasitamab, + lenalidomide (LEN) followed by tafasitamab monotherapy for patients (pts) with R/R DLBCL ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Long-term L-MIND data further support the regimen. Here we present exploratory analyses of final 5-year (yr) efficacy in subgroups of interest. Methods: Pts (≥18 years) with ASCT-ineligible R/R DLBCL, 1–3 prior systemic therapies (incl. ≥1 targeting CD20) and ECOG PS 0–2 received tafasitamab for ≤12 28-day cycles (+ LEN), then alone until disease progression. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Exploratory subgroup analyses including by International Prognostic Index (IPI) and time to progression after 1L (in pts with only 1 prior line) used Kaplan-Meier estimates of 5-yr endpoints. Results: As of 14 Nov, 2022 in the full analysis set (FAS; n=80), ORR was 56.2% [95% CI: 44.7–67.3]. Median treatment duration was 9.0 months (mo) [0.5–73.6] and median follow-up (mFU) for OS was 65.6 mo [59.9–70.3]). Median DoR was not reached (mFU: 43.7 mo [29.9–58.4]). Of 18 patients in follow-up for ≥5 years, 9 received tafasitamab until end of study per protocol, 9 discontinued while in remission. RR and 5-yr rates for DoR, PFS and OS showed long-term clinical activity in all pt subgroups (Table). Conclusions: In this 5-yr subgroup analysis, a long-term clinical benefit with tafasitamab + LEN followed by tafasitamab monotherapy was observed in all subgroups of clinical interest, including pts with poor prognosis risk factors. These data suggest this immunotherapy may have curative potential, which is being explored in further studies. Clinical trial information: NCT02399085 . [Table: see text]

RET testing and treatment patterns among patients with aNSCLC in US clinical practice.

9091 Background: Biomarker testing, including for rearrangement during transfection (RET), is recommended and important in selecting efficacious targeted therapy for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). This retrospective cohort study characterized RET testing and treatment patterns among aNSCLC patients in clinical practice. Methods: We used the nationwide Flatiron Health electronic health record-derived de-identified database to select patients diagnosed with aNSCLC (stage ≥IIIB) from 2017-2022. We measured rates of RET testing (test result ≤90 days after advanced diagnosis). We used logistic regression to identify baseline characteristics predictive of timely testing. Finally, we described treatment patterns for patients with RET+ aNSCLC before and after the US approval of RET inhibitors. Results: Among 26,329 aNSCLC patients, rates of RET testing ≤90 days after advanced diagnosis increased from 25% (2017 Q1) to 73% (2022 Q1). Patients were less likely to receive RET testing within 90 days if they were Black (multivariate odds ratio [OR] 0.8) or Hispanic (OR 0.8) compared to White, or had Medicare (OR 0.9; all p&lt;0.001) compared to commercial insurance. Patients were more likely to receive RET testing within 90 days if they were in the highest socioeconomic quintile (OR 1.4), had de novo disease (OR 2.1), or no history of smoking (OR 1.3; all p&lt;0.001). Between 2017 and 2022, there were increases in the use of next-generation sequencing (66% to 89%) and blood samples for biomarker testing (25% to 49%) and a decrease in mean days from diagnosis to test result (33 to 28) for the first RET test among those who had testing within 90 days. Among all patients with aNSCLC tested within 90 days (n=12,275), 73 were RET+ and received 1L treatment ≤90 days after advanced diagnosis. The most common 1L treatments before (n=35) and after (n=38) RET inhibitor approval were chemotherapy (40%) and RET inhibitor (42%), respectively (Table). Conclusions: RET testing has increased over time, but certain patient subgroups are less likely to receive timely RET testing and therefore may not be optimally treated. Among patients with RET+ aNSCLC identified after RET inhibitor approval, only 42% were treated with a RET inhibitor in the 1L setting. These results suggest both disparities in access to RET testing and unmet medical need among patients with RET+ aNSCLC. [Table: see text]

Real world treatment patterns and survival by germline BRCA (gBRCA) mutation status in patients with HER2-negative early breast cancer (eBC) in the US community oncology setting: A retrospective observational study.

e12535 Background: Germline BRCA mutations (gBRCAm) are associated with a higher risk of breast cancer at a younger age. Generally, gBRCA gene testing is performed in patients perceived as high risk for gBRCAm. Olaparib, a targeted poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi), has significantly improved overall survival (OS) in the randomized, double-blind OlympiA trial of patients with HER2-negative gBRCAm and was subsequently approved for the adjuvant treatment of patients with gBRCAm HER2-negative high-risk early breast cancer (eBC) treated with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. This study examines the real-world patient characteristics, treatment patterns and OS by gBRCA status among patients with HER2-negative eBC in a US community oncology setting prior to olaparib US approval for treatment of eBC. Methods: This retrospective observational study used structured data from The US Oncology Network's iKnowMed database. Adult patients were included if diagnosed with HER2-negative eBC (stage I-III) and if they initiated systemic neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy between January 1, 2012-December 31, 2018 (followed through December 31, 2021). Patients were excluded if they progressed to stage IV within 6 months after neoadjuvant treatment or were diagnosed with another primary cancer. Descriptive analyses assessed patient characteristics, early-stage systemic treatments and OS among patients by gBRCA status. Results: Among 19,258 patients with BC meeting initial criteria, 1436 (7.5%) had a documented gBRCA test result. Among them, 10% had gBRCAm (n = 141, 43% hormone receptor positive [HR+], 57% triple-negative BC [TNBC]), 90% BRCAwt (n = 1294, 70% HR+, 30% TNBC), and 1 had a variant of uncertain significance. Median age at surgery was numerically lower in gBRCAm (43 years) than gBRCAwt (48 years) patients. Treatments included neoadjuvant-only therapy (gBRCAm 58%; gBRCAwt 34%), adjuvant-only therapy (gBRCAm 42%; gBRCAwt 66%) and both neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy (gBRCAwt 0.1%). Median OS in both study cohorts was not reached. Median follow-up from surgery was less than 4 years (gBRCAm 47 months; gBRCAwt 46 months). At 48 months, estimated survival was 95% in gBRCAm and 94% in gBRCAwt patients. Conclusions: In this cohort of patients with HER2-negative eBC, among the 7.5% with a documented gBRCA result, 10% were identified with gBRCAm, reinforcing the need for gBRCA testing. Using structured real-world data through 2021 (prior to PARPi approval for eBC) with limited follow-up of &lt; 4 years, our study found that OS by gBRCA status was similar among patients with HER2-negative eBC. Our further research with chart review data containing granular clinical information looking at intermediate endpoints such as recurrence in eBC is under way.