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The European Commission (EC) has expanded the approved indication for blinatumomab (Blincyto).
The drug is now approved in Europe to treat adults with Philadelphia chromosome–negative (Ph–), CD19-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) in first or second complete remission with minimal residual disease (MRD) of at least 0.1%.
Blinatumomab is already approved in Europe to treat adults with Ph–, CD19-positive relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL and children aged 1 year or older who have relapsed/refractory Ph–, CD19-positive BCP-ALL and have received at least two prior therapies or relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
The drug was approved in the United States in March 2018 for the treatment of adults and children with BCP-ALL in first or second complete remission with MRD of at least 0.1%.
The EC’s decision to approve blinatumomab in MRD-positive patients was supported by the phase 2 BLAST trial (Blood. 2018;131[14]:1522-31).
The EC’s approval is also based on a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).
That opinion, issued in November 2018, was a reversal of the opinion the committee issued in July 2018. At that time, the CHMP said the available data did not support approval for blinatumomab to treat MRD-positive BCP-ALL.
The CHMP acknowledged that blinatumomab produced MRD negativity in many patients in the BLAST trial but said there was no strong evidence that this led to improved survival. As a result, the CHMP said the benefits of blinatumomab do not outweigh its risks in MRD-positive BCP-ALL patients.
However, Amgen requested a reexamination of the CHMP’s opinion. During the reexamination, the CHMP reviewed all the data and consulted a group of experts.
The experts echoed the CHMP’s prior sentiment that there was no strong evidence of improved survival in MRD-positive patients treated with blinatumomab. However, they also said the data indicate a good response to blinatumomab, with around 78% of patients becoming negative for MRD after treatment.
Noting that MRD-positive patients have a high risk of relapse and few treatment options, the CHMP concluded that the benefits of blinatumomab outweigh its risks in this patient population.
The CHMP recommended expanding the approved indication for blinatumomab but also requested that Amgen provide data from ongoing studies of the drug in MRD-positive patients.
The European Commission (EC) has expanded the approved indication for blinatumomab (Blincyto).
The drug is now approved in Europe to treat adults with Philadelphia chromosome–negative (Ph–), CD19-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) in first or second complete remission with minimal residual disease (MRD) of at least 0.1%.
Blinatumomab is already approved in Europe to treat adults with Ph–, CD19-positive relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL and children aged 1 year or older who have relapsed/refractory Ph–, CD19-positive BCP-ALL and have received at least two prior therapies or relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
The drug was approved in the United States in March 2018 for the treatment of adults and children with BCP-ALL in first or second complete remission with MRD of at least 0.1%.
The EC’s decision to approve blinatumomab in MRD-positive patients was supported by the phase 2 BLAST trial (Blood. 2018;131[14]:1522-31).
The EC’s approval is also based on a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).
That opinion, issued in November 2018, was a reversal of the opinion the committee issued in July 2018. At that time, the CHMP said the available data did not support approval for blinatumomab to treat MRD-positive BCP-ALL.
The CHMP acknowledged that blinatumomab produced MRD negativity in many patients in the BLAST trial but said there was no strong evidence that this led to improved survival. As a result, the CHMP said the benefits of blinatumomab do not outweigh its risks in MRD-positive BCP-ALL patients.
However, Amgen requested a reexamination of the CHMP’s opinion. During the reexamination, the CHMP reviewed all the data and consulted a group of experts.
The experts echoed the CHMP’s prior sentiment that there was no strong evidence of improved survival in MRD-positive patients treated with blinatumomab. However, they also said the data indicate a good response to blinatumomab, with around 78% of patients becoming negative for MRD after treatment.
Noting that MRD-positive patients have a high risk of relapse and few treatment options, the CHMP concluded that the benefits of blinatumomab outweigh its risks in this patient population.
The CHMP recommended expanding the approved indication for blinatumomab but also requested that Amgen provide data from ongoing studies of the drug in MRD-positive patients.
The European Commission (EC) has expanded the approved indication for blinatumomab (Blincyto).
The drug is now approved in Europe to treat adults with Philadelphia chromosome–negative (Ph–), CD19-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) in first or second complete remission with minimal residual disease (MRD) of at least 0.1%.
Blinatumomab is already approved in Europe to treat adults with Ph–, CD19-positive relapsed/refractory BCP-ALL and children aged 1 year or older who have relapsed/refractory Ph–, CD19-positive BCP-ALL and have received at least two prior therapies or relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
The drug was approved in the United States in March 2018 for the treatment of adults and children with BCP-ALL in first or second complete remission with MRD of at least 0.1%.
The EC’s decision to approve blinatumomab in MRD-positive patients was supported by the phase 2 BLAST trial (Blood. 2018;131[14]:1522-31).
The EC’s approval is also based on a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).
That opinion, issued in November 2018, was a reversal of the opinion the committee issued in July 2018. At that time, the CHMP said the available data did not support approval for blinatumomab to treat MRD-positive BCP-ALL.
The CHMP acknowledged that blinatumomab produced MRD negativity in many patients in the BLAST trial but said there was no strong evidence that this led to improved survival. As a result, the CHMP said the benefits of blinatumomab do not outweigh its risks in MRD-positive BCP-ALL patients.
However, Amgen requested a reexamination of the CHMP’s opinion. During the reexamination, the CHMP reviewed all the data and consulted a group of experts.
The experts echoed the CHMP’s prior sentiment that there was no strong evidence of improved survival in MRD-positive patients treated with blinatumomab. However, they also said the data indicate a good response to blinatumomab, with around 78% of patients becoming negative for MRD after treatment.
Noting that MRD-positive patients have a high risk of relapse and few treatment options, the CHMP concluded that the benefits of blinatumomab outweigh its risks in this patient population.
The CHMP recommended expanding the approved indication for blinatumomab but also requested that Amgen provide data from ongoing studies of the drug in MRD-positive patients.