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The pairing of two Bristol Myers Squibb immunotherapies is now permitted for the first-line treatment of two types of gastrointestinal cancers, after regulatory decisions handed out this past week that convert the accelerated approval status of the drug combination to full FDA approval in both indications. The drugs, Opdivo and Yervoy, belong to the class of medicines called checkpoint inhibitors. On April 8, the FDA approved use of this drug combination for adults and children age 12 and older whose colorectal cancer has metastasized or cannot be removed by surgery. The cancer must also be microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR), references to biomarkers that indicate the stability of DNA in a tumor. The regulatory submission was based on the results of an open-label Phase 3 test that compared the Opdivo/Yervoy combination to either Opdivo alone or chemotherapy. Results showed the immunotherapy combination led to a 38% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death compared to Opdivo monotherapy, and by 79% compared to chemo, both in the first-line setting. The study is ongoing to assess secondary measures, including overall survival. BMS said it will continue working with study investigators to present these data and longer-term follow-up results in the future. Sponsored Post Changes in Nurse Staffing Answer Clinician Demands The ongoing nursing shortage facilitates high turnover rates since nurses know they won’t have difficulties finding new jobs. In order to retain and attract staff, it’s in a facility’s best interest to understand what nurses want. By Tomasz Rezik On April 11, the FDA approved the combination of Opdivo and Yervoy for treating advanced cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. In the pivotal test in this indication, the drug combination led to median overall survival of 23.7 months. The comparator arm, in which patients received standard of care drugs sorafenib or levantinib, median overall survival was 20.6 months. At three years, the drug combination showed an overall survival rate of 38% versus 24% in the comparator arm. FDA approval of Opdivo plus Yervoy in hepatocellular carcinoma follows the European Commission’s early March approval of the drug combination in this indication. There’s plenty of news on the regulatory front. Here’s a recap of other recent highlights: New and Expanded Regulatory Approvals —Argenx drug Vyvgart Hytrulo received an additional approval for dosing of the product via a prefilled syringe. The drug, supplied in vials, previously received FDA approvals for the autoimmune conditions chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy and generalized myasthenia gravis. Analysts say prefilled syringes bring patients a more convenient dosing option while giving Argenx the opportunity to get more market share by penetrating into earlier lines of therapy. Sponsored Post Understanding EGPA: The Role of Eosinophils and Advancements in Treatment Options FASENRA® (benralizumab) injection, for subcutaneous use, 30 mg is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). FASENRA provides a treatment option for HCPs to consider when managing this challenging disease. By FASENRA, Sponsored Content —Amgen’s Uplizna expanded its label to include the treatment of immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD), an immune-mediated inflammatory disorder that can affect multiple organs. The regulatory decision makes the intravenously infused antibody the first FDA-approved treatment for this rare and chronic disease. Uplizna was first approved in 2020 as a treatment for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. —Bayer’s Viktrakvi now has full FDA approval for the treatment of NTRK gene fusion-positive solid tumors in adults and children without a known acquired resistance mutation. The drug received accelerated approval in this indication in 2018. —AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo welcomed European Union approval of Datroway as a treatment for metastatic breast cancer that is HR positive and HER2 negative. Datroway received FDA approval in the same indication in January. The drug is an antibody drug conjugate designed to target the cancer protein TROP2. —Novartis drug atrasentan, brand name Vanrafia, was awarded accelerated approval as a new treatment for the kidney disorder immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The drug is an oral small molecule designed to block the endothelin A receptor. It’s one of two IgAN nephropathy drugs that came via the $3.2 billion acquisition of Chinook Therapeutics in 2023. Novartis’s internal IgAN research yielded the complement inhibitor Fabhalta, which received accelerated approval in this indication last summer. —Speaking of Fabhalta, that Novartis drug expanded its label to include C3 glomerulopathy, making the twice-daily pill the first approved treatment for this rare kidney disorder. Fabhalta is a small molecule designed to block the complement protein C3. It was first approved in 2023 as a treatment for the rare blood disorder paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. —Sanofi received FDA approval for fitusiran, brand name Qfitlia, as a treatment for both hemophilia A and B. The drug leverages RNA interference to lower levels of AT, a protein that inhibits blood clotting. The approval covers the treatment of adults and children age 12 and older with or without inhibitors, which are antibodies that can develop in hemophilia patients, making it more difficult to control bleeding. By contrast, new Pfizer drug Hympavzi is approved only for hemophilia A and B patients without inhibitors while Sanofi’s Alhemo is approved only for hemophilia A and B patients with inhibitors. —Blockbuster AstraZeneca cancer immunotherapy Imfinzi landed European Union approval for the treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer. This new approval is based on Phase 3 results showing a 27% reduction in the risk of death compared to a placebo. The FDA approved Imfinzi for this indication last December. —Imfinzi also added perioperative treatment of muscle invasive bladder cancer to its list of FDA-approved indications. The newest FDA nod covers use of the drug in combination with chemotherapy before surgery to remove the bladder, followed by Imfinzi as an adjuvant monotherapy. In the pivotal study supporting this new indication, results showed a 32% reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence and a 25% reduction in the risk of death compared to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone. —The European Commission approved Pfizer vaccine Abrysvo for protection against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The regulatory decision expands the vaccine’s approval to adults ages 18 to 59. European regulators initially approved the vaccine in 2023 for preventing lower respiratory tract disease in adults age 60 and older. Abrysvo won FDA approval the same year. —The FDA expanded approval of Novartis’s Pluvicto to include use as an earlier line of treatment — after anti-androgen drugs and before chemotherapy — for PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Pluvicto was initially approved in 2022 for PSMA-positive mCRPC that has already been treated with an anti-androgen drug and chemotherapy. Novartis said this expansion is important because about half of patients do not live long enough to receive a second-line treatment. —Exelixis cancer drug Cabometyx expanded its FDA-approved uses to advanced cases of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) and extra-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (epNET). The approval covers adults and children age 12 and older. Cabometyx is a small molecule designed to block enzymes that support cancer growth. The drug was first approved in 2016 for advanced renal cell carcinoma. —GSK landed FDA approval for Blujepa, an oral antibiotic developed to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections. While drugs are already available for these infections, they can become resistant to treatment. Blujepa is designed to block two enzyme targets key to bacterial DNA replication, an approach intended to lower the potential for drug resistance. —The European Commission approved Capvaxive, a pneumococcal vaccine developed by Merck to protect against the 21 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes that lead to the majority of cases of invasive pneumococcal disease including eight that are not covered by any other available pneumococcal vaccine. The European regulatory decision covers adults age 18 and older. Capvaxive received FDA approval last July. —Alynlam Pharmaceuticals drug Amvuttra received FDA approval for treating cardiomyopathy caused by transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). The RNA interference drug was first approved in 2022 for the treatment of polyneuropathy caused by ATTR. In the cardiomyopathy indication, it will compete with Pfizer’s Vyndaqel and Vyndamax, which are established as the standard of care, as well as Attruby, a BridgeBio Pharma drug that received FDA approval last fall. —Bristol Myers Squibb’s Breyanzi received European Commission approval for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. The CAR T-therapy received accelerated FDA approval in this indication last May. —Geron Corporation’s Rytelo received European Commission approval for the treatment of transfusion-dependent anemia caused by lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, a progressive type of blood cancer. The intravenously infused drug is the first telomerase inhibitor to reach the market. Rytelo landed FDA approval last June. —Neffy, an epinephrine nasal spray that ARS Pharmaceuticals developed to treat allergic reactions to insect bites, medications, and food, expanded its FDA approval to include patients weighing 15 to 30 kilograms (about 33 to 60 pounds). The product’s initial approval last year covered its use in patients weighing 30 kg or more. —Roche subsidiary Genentech received FDA approval for tenecteplase, brand name TNKase, as a treatment for acute ischemic stroke in adults. Genentech said TNKase is the first stroke medicine approved by the FDA in nearly 30 years. It’s the second approved indication for the clot-busting drug. The FDA approved it in 2000 for treating acute myocardial infarction. —A Neurotech Pharmaceuticals cell and gene therapy administered via a surgical implant received FDA approval for the treatment of macular telangectasia type 2. The therapy, brand name Encelto, is the first approved treatment for this rare vision-loss disorder. Regulatory Setbacks —The FDA missed the April 1 regulatory decision target date for Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine. Politico reported the holdup was due to the intervention of Sara Brenner, the FDA’s principal deputy commissioner, who asked for more data. Novavax said it has responded to all of the FDA’s information requests and believes the application is ready for approval based on the submitted Phase 3 data. Novavax’s protein-based vaccine initially received FDA emergency use authorization in 2022, a status that it retained under amended authorizations in 2023 and last year, both times for new formulas that covered the prevalent variants at the time. Full FDA approval would put the vaccine on par with the approved messenger RNA vaccines marketed by Pfizer and Moderna. Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine will be co-commercialized with Sanofi under a partnership announced last year. —Roche paused European clinical tests of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy Elevidys, the pharmaceutical giant said in a letter to the World Duchenne Organization. The move follows Sarepta Therapeutics’ recent report of a liver failure-associated patient death. Roche said the European Medicines Agency asked for a clinical hold on four studies until the inquiry into the cause of death is complete. Under a 2019 deal with Sarepta, Roche holds rights to Elevidys outside of the U.S. —For the second time, the FDA has rejected Aldeyra Therapeutics drug reproxalap as a treatment for dry eye disease. The agency turned down an application for the drug in 2023. According to Aldeyra, the FDA’s latest complete response letter said the new drug application failed to demonstrate efficacy. The regulator asked the company to run at least one more clinical trial. Among the concerns raised by the FDA is differences in baseline scores, which may have affected interpretation of trial results. Aldeyra said results from two ongoing studies are expected later in the current quarter, potentially paving the way for a mid-year resubmission of the application. —The European Medicines Agency refused marketing authorization for Eli Lilly Alzheimer’s disease drug Kisunla. Safety was the main reason cited, particularly the brain inflammation and bleeding that is a known complication risk associated with all drugs in the same class of Alzheimer’s medicines. The agency said the drug’s benefits were not enough to outweigh the potentially fatal safety risks. The FDA approved Kisunla last July. —In other Alzheimer’s drug news, Eisai again failed to persuade Australia’s drugs regulator to register Leqembi. The pharma company had asked the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) to reconsider its October 2024 decision to not register the drug in Australia. Eisai’s request for reconsideration covered a narrower indication, but Eisai said the TGA did not agree that safety has been established for these patients.

在生物医药领域，Argenx 公司凭借其在自身免疫性疾病治疗药物上的持续创新，不断改写着行业格局。近日，该公司的 Vyvgart 迎来重大利好消息，FDA 批准其预填充注射器版本，为相关疾病患者带来了更为便捷的治疗方式，也为公司的发展注入了新动力。Vyvgart 再添剂型，患者治疗更便捷Argenx 公司的 Vyvgart 此前已凭借静脉注射和皮下注射剂型取得了斐然成绩，去年销售额高达 22 亿美元。如今，FDA 批准了 Vyvgart Hytrulo 的预填充注射器版本，这一剂型变革意义非凡。获批后，患者无需再频繁前往医院接受静脉输注或每周去医生办公室打针，在家就能自行注射。这一创新极大地提高了患者治疗的自主性和灵活性，充分满足了不同患者的需求。无论是选择在医生办公室治疗，还是居家治疗，甚至是在旅途中，患者都能按照自己的节奏接受治疗。适应症广泛，市场潜力巨大Vyvgart 是一款一流的 FcRn 抑制剂，自 2021 年 12 月首次获得 FDA 批准以来，已在多个领域展现出重要价值。目前，Vyvgart 被批准用于治疗全身性重症肌无力（gMG）和慢性炎性脱髓鞘性多发性神经病（CIDP）。在 Vyvgart 获批之前，gMG 的治疗手段有限，医生多依赖手术、类固醇和化疗等方法。Vyvgart 的出现，为 gMG 患者带来了新的希望。对于 gMG 患者而言，预填充注射器版本的 Vyvgart 有望扩大早期治疗的适用范围。此前，部分患者觉得每周在医生处接受 Vyvgart 循环给药较为麻烦，而如今的自注射选项则能有效解决这一问题。在 CIDP 治疗方面，由于该疾病通常需要每周给药，预填充注射器的推出，预计将吸引更多此前对每周去诊所给药不感兴趣的患者，从而进一步扩大市场份额。竞争激烈，Argenx 优势凸显在 gMG 和 CIDP 治疗市场，竞争愈发激烈。阿斯利康的 Ultomiris 和 UCB 的 FcRn 抑制剂 Rystiggo 分别于 2022 年和 2023 年获批用于相关适应症，且都可皮下给药。强生也在积极推进其 FcRn 候选药物 nipocalimab 的审批进程，该药物是强生在 2020 年以 65 亿美元收购 Momenta Pharmaceuticals 获得的。尽管市场上其他用于 CIDP 和 MG 治疗的药物仍在不断研发中，但 Vyvgart 预填充注射器的获批，进一步巩固了 Argenx 在这些适应症领域的竞争优势。William Blair 分析师迈尔斯・明特博士和花旗分析师萨曼莎・塞门科夫博士均认为，自注射的预填充注射器剂型将成为 Vyvgart 在两个适应症上的 “增长驱动力”。目前，Vyvgart 年销售额约 30 亿美元，且同比增长 97%，此次获批有望进一步推动其销售增长，让 Argenx 在商业竞争中继续保持领先地位。Argenx 的 Vyvgart 预填充注射器获批，不仅为 gMG 和 CIDP 患者提供了更便利的治疗选择，也展示了公司在生物医药研发领域的强大实力。未来，随着市场的进一步拓展和竞争的加剧，Argenx 能否继续保持优势，引领行业发展，值得持续关注。参考来源：https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/argenx-stays-roll-vyvgart-gaining-fda-nod-prefilled-syringe识别微信二维码，添加生物制品圈小编，符合条件者即可加入生物制品微信群！请注明：姓名+研究方向！版权声明本公众号所有转载文章系出于传递更多信息之目的，且明确注明来源和作者，不希望被转载的媒体或个人可与我们联系(cbplib@163.com)，我们将立即进行删除处理。所有文章仅代表作者观不本站。