Instead of approving the new Alzheimer’s drug donanemab this month, as was expected, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will now require the experimental medication be scrutinized more closely by an expert panel.
TYENNE
FDA Approves Tyenne (tocilizumab-aazg), a Biosimilar to Actemra
Fresenius Kabi, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Tyenne® (tocilizumab-aazg), its tocilizumab biosimilar referencing Actemra® (tocilizumab). Tyenne becomes the first tocilizumab biosimilar with both IV and subcutaneous formulations approved by the FDA. In accordance with its patent settlement agreement with Genentech, Fresenius Kabi has a license to market its tocilizumab products in the U.S. commencing on the license dates, which are confidential.
Tyenne has launched globally in more than 10 countries, with plans to launch in many more countries between 2024 and 2025. Tyenne (tocilizumab-aazg) is FDA approved for the treatment of several inflammatory and immune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
JUBBONTI
FDA Approves Jubbonti (denosumab-bddz), an Interchangeable Biosimilar to Prolia
Sandoz, has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Jubbonti, (denosumab-bbdz), an interchangeable biosimilar to Prolia.
Jubbonti is approved to:
• Treat postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture.
• Increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis at high risk for fracture.
• Treat glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women at high risk for fracture.
• Increase bone mass in men at high risk for fracture receiving androgen deprivation therapy for nonmetastatic prostate cancer.
• Increase bone mass in women at high risk for fracture receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer.
WYOST
FDA Approves Wyost (denosumab-bddz), an Interchangeable Biosimilar to Xgeva
Sandoz, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Wyost (denosumab-bbdz), an interchangeable biosimilar to Xgeva. Wyost is approved to prevent skeletal-related events (SREs) in patients with multiple myeloma and in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors, to treat adults and skeletally mature adolescents with giant cell tumor of bone that is unresectable or where surgical resection is likely to result in severe morbidity, and to treat hypercalcemia of malignancy refractory to bisphosphonate therapy.
DEFINITY®
Lantheus Announces the FDA Approval of Definity (Perflutren Lipid Microsphere) for Pediatric Patients
Lantheus Holdings, Inc, has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for Definity® (Perflutren Lipid Microsphere) as an ultrasound enhancing agent for use in pediatric patients with suboptimal echocardiograms. This approval represents a significant step forward in pediatric medicine, providing healthcare professionals with a valuable tool to opacify the left ventricular chamber and better identify the left ventricular endocardial border. Currently, Definity is the most utilized, extensively studied, and a trusted diagnostic ultrasound enhancing agent in the U.S.
Clinical studies have substantiated the efficacy and safety of Definity in pediatric patients.
RYBREVANT®
Rybrevant® in Combination with Chemotherapy Is the First FDA Approved Therapy for First-line Treatment of Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutations
Johnson & Johnson has announced that following a priority review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Rybrevant® (amivantamab-vmjw) in combination with chemotherapy (carboplatin-pemetrexed) for the first-line treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations as detected by an FDA-approved test. This FDA action converts the May 2021 accelerated approval of Rybrevant® to a full approval based on the confirmatory Phase 3 PAPILLON study.
Worldwide, lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, with NSCLC making up 80 to 85 percent of all lung cancer cases. Alterations in EGFR are the most common actionable driver mutations in NSCLC. Clinical data show patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations generally experience limited benefits with currently approved third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and chemotherapy. NSCLC driven by EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations carries a worse prognosis and shorter survival rates compared with lung cancer driven by other EGFR driver mutations.
LETYBO
FDA Approves Letybo (letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg) for the Treatment of Glabellar Lines
Hugel America, Inc., a division of Hugel Inc., today announced it received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval on its neurotoxin, Letybo to treat moderate-to-severe glabellar (frown) lines in adults. In the coming months, Hugel plans to accelerate its transition for approved medical use with the goal of launching to aesthetic clinicians in the back half of 2024.
FDA approval is supported by positive results from three completed phase III trials that enrolled more than 1,000 subjects in the U.S. and Europe. This botulinum toxin type A has been the leading neurotoxin brand in South Korea, one of the world’s most dynamic aesthetic markets, for seven consecutive years. Hugel has sold over 26 million vials in 50+ different countries including Australia, Canada, and Europe.
EXBLIFEP
FDA Approves Exblifep for the Treatment of Complicated Urinary Tract Infections
Allecra Therapeutics (“Allecra”) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Exblifep as a treatment for complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs), including pyelonephritis, in patients 18 years and older. Allecra has also received a five-year marketing exclusivity extension from the FDA as part of the Generating Antibiotic Incentives Now Act (GAIN Act). The GAIN Act, enacted by the U.S. Congress, incentivizes the creation of new anti-infective therapeutics by providing benefits to manufacturers of Qualified Infectious Disease Products (QIDPs).
Exblifep is a combination antibiotic used for complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) that contains two antibiotics, cefepime and enmetazobactam. Exblifep is used when the bacteria causing the UTI is resistant to other antibiotics, especially if the resistance is due to Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBLs).
BIKTARVY®
U.S. FDA Approves Expanded Indication for Gilead’s Biktarvy to Treat People with HIV with Suppressed Viral Loads, Pre-Existing Resistance
Gilead Sciences, Inc. has announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new, expanded indication for Biktarvy® (bictegravir 50 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg tablets, B/F/TAF) to treat people with HIV (PWH) who have suppressed viral loads with known or suspected M184V/I resistance, a common form of treatment resistance. HIV treatment resistance is permanent and irreversible, which can jeopardize future treatment options for PWH. The M184V/I resistance mutation has been found to be present in a range (22-63%) of PWH with pre-existing resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) across various HIV subtypes.
This label update is supported by Study 4030, which evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile of Biktarvy in a broad range of people with HIV-1 with or without pre-existing NRTI resistance, including those with the M184V/I resistance. Biktarvy is now the first and only integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based single-tablet regimen that is FDA approved and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guideline recommended for PWH who are virally suppressed with M184V/I resistance.
Once someone with HIV has developed resistance to a treatment, it will persist for the rest of their life. Reducing the risk of drug resistance is a key goal in HIV therapy. HIV drug resistance continues to receive clinical and public health attention because it may hinder the ability of HIV medicines to suppress and block replication of the virus over the course of an individual’s life. Resistance may lead to treatment failure in individuals, while also creating the potential for transmission of treatment-resistant HIV within communities.
SIMLANDI
FDA Approves Simlandi (adalimumab-ryvk), an Interchangeable Biosimilar to Humira
Alvotech and Teva Pharmaceuticals, have announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Simlandi (adalimumab-ryvk) injection, as an interchangeable biosimilar to Humira, for the treatment of adult rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, adult psoriatic arthritis, adult ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn’s disease, adult ulcerative colitis, adult plaque psoriasis, adult hidradenitis suppurativa and adult uveitis. In 2023, Humira was one of the highest-grossing pharmaceutical products in the world, with sales in the U.S. of nearly $12.2 billion. Teva is Alvotech’s strategic partner for the exclusive commercialization of Simlandi in the United States.
Simlandi is the first high-concentration, citrate-free biosimilar to Humira that has been granted an interchangeability status by the FDA and will qualify for interchangeable exclusivity for the 40mg/0.4ml injection. While both low-concentration and high-concentration strength biosimilars of Humira are marketed in the U.S. today, nearly 88 percent of U.S. prescriptions for adalimumab are for the highconcentration presentation.
