12 new medicines recommended for approval
EMA’s human medicines committee (
CHMP
) recommended 12 medicines for approval at its September 2022 meeting.
The
CHMP
recommended granting a
marketing authorisation
for
Beyfortus
(nirsevimab) intended for the prevention of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease in newborns and infants during their first RSV season (when there is a risk of RSV infection in the community). Beyfortus was supported through EMA's PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) scheme, which provides early and enhanced scientific and regulatory support to medicines that have a particular potential to address patients' unmet medical needs. See more information in the news announcement in the grid below.
The committee adopted a positive
opinion for
Enjaymo
* (sutimlimab) for the treatment of haemolytic anaemia (breakdown of red blood cells) in adult patients with cold agglutinin disease, a rare autoimmune disorder characterised by the premature destruction of red blood cells.
Livtencity
* (maribavir) received a positive opinion for the treatment of adults and paediatric patients with cytomegalovirus infection and/or disease that is refractory to one or more prior therapies. Cytomegalovirus is a type of herpes virus that commonly causes infection after a stem cell or an organ transplant.
The committee adopted a positive
opinion for
Melatonin Neurim
(melatonin) for the treatment of insomnia, a sleeping disorder affecting more than 10% of the European Union (EU) population.
The
CHMP
gave a positive opinion for
Mycapssa
* (octreotide) for the treatment of acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder where the body produces too much growth hormone. This causes body tissues and bones to grow more quickly, leading e.g. to the enlargement of the hands, feet, forehead, jaw or nose.
The committee recommended granting a
conditional marketing authorisation
for
Pyrukynd
* (mitapivat) for the treatment of an inherited condition called pyruvate kinase deficiency, a rare genetic disorder characterised by the premature destruction of red blood cells.
Zynlonta
* (loncastuximab tesirine) received a positive opinion from the
CHMP
. This medicine is intended for the treatment of adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and high-grade B-cell lymphoma, two types of cancer that begin in the lymphatic system when abnormal white blood cells grow.
The committee adopted a positive
opinion for the
biosimilar medicine
Ximluci
(ranibizumab) for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, a progressive retinal macular disease, causing gradual vision impairment, mainly in the elderly population.
The
CHMP
recommended granting a
marketing authorisation
for
Teriparatide SUN
(teriparatide) for the treatment of osteoporosis in adults. Osteoporosis affects around 22% of women over the age of 50 in the EU. The recommendation followed a hybrid application, which relies in part on the results of pre-clinical tests and
clinical trials
of an already authorised reference product and in part on new data.
The
CHMP
gave a positive opinion for the
generic medicine
Sorafenib Accord
(sorafenib) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma, two cancers that start in cells or tissues of the liver and kidney.
The committee adopted a positive
opinion for the
generic medicines
Teriflunomide Accord
and
Teriflunomide Mylan
(teriflunomide), indicated for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system.
Recommendations on extensions of therapeutic indication for 11 medicines
The committee recommended 12 extensions of
indication
for medicines that are already authorised in the EU:
Adtralza
,
Biktarvy
,
Brukinsa
,
Evusheld
,
Exparel liposomal, Revolade, Skyrizi
,
Vaxneuvance
,
Veklury
(includes two extensions of
indication
for two paediatric populations, see the COVID-19 update below),
Xalkori
and
Yescarta
.
Withdrawals of initial applications
The application for
marketing authorisation
for
Exkivity
was withdrawn by the respective applicant. This medicine was indicated for the treatment of a certain type of lung cancer. A question-and-answer document on the withdrawal is available in the grid below.
The application for
marketing authorisation
for
Sevsury
was withdrawn by the respective applicant. This medicine was indicated for the treatment of progressive neuroendocrine tumours. A question-and-answer document on the withdrawal is available in the grid below.
Re-examination concluded
The
CHMP
confirmed its recommendation to suspend the
marketing authorisations
of several
generic medicines
tested by
Synchron Research Services
, a contract research organisation (CRO) located in Ahmedabad, India. This concludes the
re-examination
requested by the
marketing authorisation holders
for some of the medicines concerned. For more information, see the public health communication in the grid below.
COVID-19 update
Since the
CHMP
meeting in July, several recommendations related to COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics were made.
Authorising use of
Nuvaxovid
as a booster dose for adults who have had Nuvaxovid, an mRNA vaccine or an adenoviral vector vaccine as their primary vaccination. (The recommendation was made on 1 September 2022)
Authorising two vaccines adapted to provide broader protection against COVID-19.
Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.1
and
Spikevax bivalent Original/Omicron BA.1
are for use in people aged 12 years and above who have received at least primary vaccination against COVID-19.
For more information, see the news announcement
. (The recommendation was made on 1 September 2022)
COVID-19 recommendations adopted during the present meeting of the
CHMP
:
Authorising the adapted bivalent vaccine
Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.4-5
for use in people aged 12 years and above who have received at least a primary course of vaccination against COVID-19. This vaccine is an adapted version of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty and targets the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 in addition to the original strain of SARS-CoV-2.
For more information, see the news announcement
.
Converting the
conditional marketing authorisations
of the COVID-19 vaccines
Comirnaty
and
Spikevax
into standard
marketing authorisations
.
CHMP
considered that the additional studies conducted by the companies as part of their post-authorisation obligations have provided ample information on the vaccines’ protection against COVID-19, as well as their quality and safety.
For more information, see the news announcement
.
Approving a new manufacturing site in Dessau-Rosslau, Germany, for COVID-19 Vaccine
Valneva
.
Authorising booster doses of
Comirnaty
for children from 5 to 11 years of age .
Extending the use of COVID-19 therapeutic
Evusheld
for the treatment of adults and adolescents with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen.
Extending the use of COVID-19 therapeutic
Veklury
in two paediatric populations:
Paediatric patients (of at least 4 weeks of age and weighing at least 3 kg) with pneumonia requiring supplemental oxygen or other non-invasive ventilation at the start of treatment.
Paediatric patients (weighing at least 40 kg) who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of progressing to severe COVID-19.
Safety update
At its extraordinary meeting, on 2 September 2022, the
CHMP
endorsed the recommendation of the
Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee
(
PRAC
) and recommended that medicines containing high-dose nomegestrol (3.75 – 5 mg) or high-dose chlormadinone (5 – 10 mg) should be used at the lowest effective dose and for the shortest duration possible, and only when other interventions are not appropriate. In addition, low- and high-dose nomegestrol- or chlormadinone-containing medicines must not be used by patients who have, or have had, meningioma.
For more information, see the news announcement
.
Agenda and minutes
The agenda of the September 2022
CHMP
meeting is published on EMA's website. Minutes of the September 2022
CHMP
meeting will be published in the coming weeks.
CHMP statistics
Key figures from the September 2022
CHMP
meeting are represented in the graphic below.
*This product was designated as an
orphan medicine
during its development.
Orphan designations
are reviewed by EMA's
Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products
(
COMP
) at the time of approval to determine whether the information available to date allows maintaining the medicine’s orphan status and granting the medicine ten years of
market exclusivity
.
Positive recommendations on new medicines
Name of medicine
Beyfortus
International non-proprietary name
(INN)
nirsevimab
Marketing-authorisation applicant
AstraZeneca AB
Therapeutic
indication
Prevention of respiratory syncytial virus lower respiratory tract disease in newborns and infants
More information
Beyfortus: Pending EC decision
News announcement:
New medicine to protect babies and infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection
Name of medicine
Enjaymo
INN
sutimlimab
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Genzyme Europe BV
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of haemolytic anaemia in adult patients with cold agglutinin disease
More information
Enjaymo: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Livtencity
INN
maribavir
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG Ireland Branch
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of cytomegalovirus infection and/or disease that is refractory to one or more prior therapies
More information
Livtencity: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Melatonin Neurim
INN
melatonin
Marketing-authorisation applicant
RAD Neurim Pharmaceuticals EEC SARL
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of insomnia
More information
Melatonin Neurim: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Mycapssa
INN
octreotide
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Amryt Pharmaceuticals DAC
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of acromegaly
More information
Mycapssa: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Pyrukynd
INN
mitapivat
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Agios Netherlands B.V.
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of pyruvate kinase deficiency
More information
Pyrukynd: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Zynlonta
INN
loncastuximab tesirine
Marketing-authorisation holder
ADC Therapeutics (NL) B.V.
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and high-grade B-cell lymphoma
More information
Zynlonta: Pending EC decision
Positive recommendation on new biosimilar medicine
Name of medicine
Ximluci
INN
ranibizumab
Marketing-authorisation applicant
STADA Arzneimittel AG
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration
More information
Ximluci: Pending EC decision
Positive recommendation on new hybrid medicine
Name of medicine
Teriparatide SUN
INN
teriparatide
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Europe B.V.
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of osteoporosis in adults
More information
Teriparatide SUN: Pending EC decision
Positive recommendations on new generic medicines
Name of medicine
Sorafenib Accord
INN
sorafenib
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Accord Healthcare S.L.U.
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma
More information
Sorafenib Accord: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Teriflunomide Accord
INN
teriflunomide
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Accord Healthcare S.L.U.
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of multiple sclerosis
More information
Teriflunomide Accord: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Teriflunomide Mylan
INN
teriflunomide
Marketing-authorisation applicant
Mylan Pharmaceuticals Limited
Therapeutic
indication
Treatment of multiple sclerosis
More information
To be published shortly
Positive recommendations on extensions of indications
Name of medicine
Adtralza
INN
tralokinumab
Marketing-authorisation holder
LEO Pharma A/S
More information
Adtralza: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Biktarvy
INN
bictegravir / emtricitabine / tenofovir alafenamide
Marketing-authorisation holder
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
More information
Biktarvy: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Brukinsa
INN
zanubrutinib
Marketing-authorisation holder
BeiGene Ireland Ltd
More information
Brukinsa: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Evusheld
INN
tixagevimab / cilgavimab
Marketing-authorisation holder
AstraZeneca AB
More information
Evusheld: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Exparel liposomal
INN
bupivacaine
Marketing-authorisation holder
Pacira Ireland Limited
More information
Exparel liposomal: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Revolade
INN
eltrombopag
Marketing-authorisation holder
Novartis Europharm Limited
More information
Revolade: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Skyrizi
INN
risankizumab
Marketing-authorisation holder
AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG
More information
Skyrizi: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Vaxneuvance
Common name
pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (adsorbed)
Marketing-authorisation holder
Merck Sharp & Dohme B.V.
More information
Vaxneuvance: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Veklury
INN
remdesivir
Marketing-authorisation holder
Gilead Sciences Ireland UC
More information
Veklury: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Xalkori
INN
crizotinib
Marketing-authorisation holder
Pfizer Europe MA EEIG
More information
Xalkori: Pending EC decision
Name of medicine
Yescarta
INN
axicabtagene ciloleucel
Marketing-authorisation holder
Kite Pharma EU B.V.
More information
Yescarta: Pending EC decision
Withdrawals of initial marketing authorisation applications
Name of medicine
Exkivity
INN
mobocertinib
Marketing-authorisationapplicant
Takeda Pharma A/S
More information
Exkivity: Withdrawn application
Name of medicine
Sevsury
INN
surufatinib
Marketing-authorisationapplicant
Hutchmed Europe B.V.
More information
Sevsury: Withdrawn application
Outcome of referral re-examination
Name of medicine
Synchron Research Services
More information
Synchron
Other updates
List item
Scientific advice and protocol assistance adopted during the CHMP meeting 12-15 September 2022
(PDF/230.36 KB)
(new)
Adopted
First published: 16/09/2022
EMA/CHMP/SAWP/769857/2022