FDA Approved Drugs: August, 2023

Izervay (avacincaptad pegol sodium)

FDA approved Izervay, a complement C5 inhibitor, for the treatment of geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration, according to a press release from Astellas Pharma.

The approval was based on the data from the GATHER1 and GATHER2 phase 3 clinical trials in which monthly 2 mg injections of Izervay (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution) showed a statistically significant reduction (P < .01) in the rate of geographic atrophy growth at 12 months. The slowing in disease progression was seen as early as 6 months, while up to a 35% reduction in progression occurred in the first year of treatment.

Talvey (talquetamab-tgvs)

FDA granted accelerated approval of Talvey (talquetamab-tgvs), a first-in-class bispecific antibody for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 antibody.

Talvey is a bispecific T-cell engaging antibody that binds to the CD3 receptor on the surface of T cells and G protein-coupled receptor class C group 5 member D (GPRC5D) expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells, non-malignant plasma cells and healthy tissue such as epithelial cells in keratinized tissues of the skin and tongue.

Elrexfio (elranatamab-bcmm)

FDA granted accelerated approval to elranatamab-bcmm (Elrexfio, Pfizer, Inc.), a bispecific B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed CD3 T-cell engager, for adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.

Sohonos (palovarotene)

FDA approved Sohonos (palovarotene) capsules as a retinoid indicated for the reduction in volume of new heterotopic ossification in adults and pediatric patients aged 8 years and older for females and 10 years and older for males with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP).

The FDA approval was based on the pivotal efficacy and safety data from the Phase 3 MOVE trial, the first and largest multicenter, open-label trial in adult and pediatric patients.

Veopoz (pozelimab-bbfg)

FDA approved Veopoz (pozelimab-bbfg) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older with CHAPLE disease, also known as CD55-deficient protein-losing enteropathy. Veopoz is the first and only treatment indicated specifically for CHAPLE. Veopoz, a fully human monoclonal antibody, is designed to target complement factor C5, a protein involved in complement system activation.

The FDA approval was based on results from a Phase 2/3 open-label trial that investigated the efficacy and safety of pozelimab in 10 patients aged 3 to 19 (median of 8.5 years).

Eylea HD (aflibercept)

FDA approved EYLEA HD (aflibercept) Injection 8 mg for the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). This is the first and only treatment approved in wAMD and DME for immediate dosing at 8-week and up to 16-week intervals following three initial monthly doses

Approval was based on the pivotal PULSAR and PHOTON trials in which EYLEA HD demonstrated clinically equivalent vision gains to EYLEA (aflibercept) Injection 2 mg that were maintained with fewer injections.

Tyruko (natalizumab-sztn)

FDA approved biosimilar Tyruko (natalizumab-sztn), developed by Polpharma Biologics. Tyruko is approved to treat all indications covered by the reference medicine and is the first and only FDA-approved biosimilar for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Sandoz entered into a global commercialization agreement for Tyruko with Polpharma Biologics in 2019. Under this agreement, Polpharma Biologics will maintain responsibility for development, manufacturing and supply of the active substance in Tyruko. Through an exclusive global license, Sandoz has the rights to commercialize and distribute it in all markets.

Coronavirus (COVID19): Updates

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had launched FabiFlu, India’s first COVID-19 drug

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had launched FabiFlu, an antiviral drug Favipiravir, to cure patients with mild to moderate coronavirus at a price tag of about Rs 103 per tablet. FabiFlu would be available in the form of a 200 mg tablet and will be at a maximum retail price (MRP) of Rs 3,500 for a strip of 34 tablets. It is the first oral favipiravir-approved medication for the treatment of COVID-19 in India. FabiFlu is a prescription-based medication with a recommended dose being at 1,800 mg twice daily on day one, followed by 800 mg twice daily up till day 14.

Cipla had launched Cipremi, a COVID-19 Antiviral Drug

Cipla had launched antiviral drug i.e., Cipremi for the treatment of COVID-19. Cipremi is available in the form of lyophilized powder (freeze dry) for injection 100mg. It has been approved for adult and pediatric patients who have been hospitalized. This drug has been granted regulatory approval by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for restricted emergency use in India as part of the accelerated approval process considering the urgent and unmet medical need. The clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Cipremi for the patients on oxygen support after falling ill to coronavirus. 

United States provided $2 Billion to Novavax & Regeneron for Covid-19 Vaccine

The federal government awarded $2 billion to Novavax Inc. & Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for the development and manufacturing of an experimental drug and a potential vaccine against Covid-19. Novavax Inc. has received $1.6 billion from the federal government’ to fund clinical studies of its experimental coronavirus vaccine and establish large-scale manufacturing of doses. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. has received a $450 million federal contract to manufacture thousands of doses of its experimental Covid-19 treatment that the government would distribute for free to the public if the drug is authorized for use by regulators.

BioSig Technologies Collaborates with Albany Molecular for its Drug Merimepodib, a Coronavirus Treatment

BioSig Technologies had entered into the collaboration with Albany Molecular Research Inc to evaluate the merimepodib for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Under the terms of the collaboration, both companies would evaluate the drug as a standalone treatment and in combination with other antiviral agents or immune modulators. This collaboration would help in rapid transfer, scale-up and validation of merimepodib API manufacture as the future supply chain and commercialization strategy.

Hetero Receive the Approval to Produce & Market Remdesivir

Indian pharmaceutical firm Hetero had received approval from the Drug Controller General of India to manufacture and market the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir for the treatment of coronavirus. Hetero’s generic version of Remdesivir would be sold under the brand name Covifor in India. Covifor would be available in 100 mg vials that would be injected into the patient at a hospital facility under the proper supervision of a doctor or trained healthcare worker. The drug would be launched in India under a licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences Inc, an American biopharmaceutical firm, to expand access to Covid-19 medication in poor countries.

Mateon Therapeutics Secured a $2 Million Financing with Golden Mountain Partners (GMP) to Conduct Clinical Trial Evaluating OT-101 against COVID-19

Mateon Therapeutics had secured a $2 million in debt financing with Golden Mountain Partners (GMP) for the conduct of a clinical trial evaluating OT-101 against COVID-19. OT-101 is an antisense against the host TGF-β protein required for viral replication and its overexpression likely to cause the wide range of clinical symptoms associated with COVID-19 including Kawasaki syndrome.