AstraZeneca and Merck announce full results for PARP inhibitor Lynparza

Pharmaceutical Technology | September 30, 2019

AstraZeneca and Merck have presented full progression-free survival (PFS) results from the Phase III PAOLA-1 study of their PARP inhibitor Lynparza (olaparib) in newly-diagnosed ovarian cancer patients at the European Society of Medical Oncology congress. When combined with the current standard of care, bevacizumab, Lynparza reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 41% compared to bevacizumab alone. The Lynparza-bevacizumab also improved PFS, the primary endpoint of the study, by a median of 22.1 months, compared to 16.6 months for bevacizumab alone. Also, two-years after the initiation of the trial, 46% of women treated with Lynparza plus bevacizumab showed no disease progression, compared to 28% who received the standard of care alone. Although the PAOLA-1 study studied ovarian cancer patients regardless of their genetic biomarker status or outcome from previous surgery, AstraZeneca and Merck also carried out two sub-group analyses on BRCA-mutated (BRCA-m) and broader homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) populations.

Spotlight

Injection systems that are attached to the patient's body (on-body delivery system OBDS) minimize possible risks, that can occur when drugs are administered by conventional needle-based injection systems (NIS). 

Spotlight

Injection systems that are attached to the patient's body (on-body delivery system OBDS) minimize possible risks, that can occur when drugs are administered by conventional needle-based injection systems (NIS). 

Related News

PHARMACY MARKET

Aquestive Therapeutics Receives FDA Acceptance of New Drug Application (NDA) for Libervant™ (diazepam) Buccal Film in Pediatric Patients

globenewswire | September 12, 2023

Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. a pharmaceutical company advancing medicines to solve patients’ problems with current standards of care and provide transformative products to improve their lives, today announced acceptance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Company’s NDA for Libervant™ (diazepam) Buccal Film in pediatric patients between two and five years of age and the assignment of a PDUFA goal date of April 28, 2024. Aquestive’s NDA for approval of Libervant™ Buccal Film for the acute treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity (i.e., seizure clusters, acute repetitive seizures) in patients between two and five years of age has been accepted by the FDA. Diastat® (diazepam) Rectal Gel is the only treatment currently available to this patient population for this indication. The Company received tentative approval for Libervant for the treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity (i.e., seizure clusters, acute repetitive seizures) in patients 12 years of age and older in August 2022, but Libervant is currently under an orphan drug block to market access until January 2027. “The FDA’s acceptance of our most recent filing for Libervant is another step forward in bringing this important treatment option to patients,” said Daniel Barber, Chief Executive Officer of Aquestive. “When it comes to the treatment of seizure clusters in pediatric patients with epilepsy five years of age and under, physicians and caregivers have limited options. We believe Libervant, as an oral alternative to existing device-based products, will be well-received by this patient population, if approved with market access.” About Libervant Libervant is a buccally, or inside of the cheek, administered film formulation of diazepam, a benzodiazepine intended for the acute treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity (i.e., seizure clusters, acute repetitive seizures) that are distinct from a patient’s usual seizure pattern. Aquestive developed Libervant as an alternative to the device-based products currently available for patients with refractory epilepsy, including a rectal gel and nasal spray products. The FDA has granted tentative approval for Libervant for treatment of these epilepsy patients 12 years of age and older, with U.S. market access for Libervant for this age group of patients subject to the expiration of the existing orphan drug market exclusivity of a previously FDA approved drug scheduled to expire in January 2027. The NDA submitted today for Libervant for epilepsy patients between two and five years of age is subject to FDA approval, including for U.S. market access. About Aquestive Aquestive is a pharmaceutical company advancing medicines to solve patients’ problems with current standards of care and provide transformative products to improve their lives. We are developing orally administered products to deliver complex molecules, providing novel alternatives to invasive and inconvenient standard of care therapies. Aquestive has five commercialized products marketed by its licensees in the U.S. and around the world, and is the exclusive manufacturer of these licensed products. The Company also collaborates with pharmaceutical companies to bring new molecules to market using proprietary, best-in-class technologies, like PharmFilm®, and has proven drug development and commercialization capabilities. Aquestive is advancing a late-stage proprietary product pipeline focused on treating diseases of the central nervous system and an earlier stage pipeline for the treatment of severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.

Read More

Research

Cipher Partner, Moberg Pharma Announces Approval for MOB-015 in the European Union

Newswire | July 05, 2023

Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc. ("Cipher" or "the Company") today announced that the Company's partner, Moberg Pharma AB, ("Moberg Pharma") has obtained European Union approval for MOB-015 (nail fungus treatment) as a result of demonstrating superior levels of mycological cure (76% vs. 42% for comparators) and a significantly better complete cure rate. MOB-015 has been recommended for national approval in 13 European countries, which will be commercialized through partners such as Bayer and Allderma, and is expected to be launched in Nordic countries such as Sweden during 2023. Cipher holds the exclusive Canadian rights to MOB-015, a new topical treatment of Onychomycosis (nail fungus) based on Moberg's patented proprietary formulation of terbinafine. In Canada, according to IQVIA, the total prescription market for Onychomycosis was greater than $82 million CDN at December 31, 2022 with a single product having over 90% market share. Craig Mull, Interim CEO of Cipher commented, "This is a fantastic achievement whereby the European Union has recognised MOB-015 as delivering quick visible improvements to patients living with nail fungus. We are excited about our partnership with Moberg Pharma, who have a strong track record developing and commercializing nail fungus products previously in both Europe and North America. This approval is a tremendous step in the right direction towards ultimately receiving market approval in Canada and the United States. We will continue to work closely with Moberg in making this clinically proven effective treatment available to Canadians as soon as possible." Moberg Pharma continues to invest and advance MOB-015 through an additional phase 3 trial of a total of 350 patients with sites across the United States and Canada. The purpose of this study is to facilitate market approval in North America as well as further strengthen the product's clinical evidence beyond the mycological and complete cure rates already demonstrated to the European Union. Patient enrollment in the clinical trial is progressing according to plan with full enrollment expected in 2023. About Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc. Cipher Pharmaceuticalsis a specialty pharmaceutical company with a robust and diversified portfolio of commercial and early to late-stage products. Cipher acquires products that fulfill unmet medical needs, manages the required clinical development and regulatory approval process, and currently markets those products either directly in Canada or indirectly through partners in Canada, the U.S., and South America. About Moberg Pharma Moberg Pharma AB is a Swedish pharmaceutical company focused on commercializing proprietary innovations based on drug delivery of proven compounds. The company's main asset, MOB-015, is a novel topical treatment for onychomycosis. Data from phase 3 clinical trials in more than 800 patients for MOB-015 indicate that the product has the potential to become the future market leader in onychomycosis. Moberg Pharma has agreements with commercial partners in place in Europe and Japan, among others, and the company's goal is to receive its first market approval and launch MOB-015 in 2023.

Read More

Pharmacy Market

Catalyst Clinical Research Announces the Acquisition of Genpro Research

PRNewswire | July 21, 2023

Catalyst Clinical Research an industry-leading provider of specialized clinical development solutions, announced today it has acquired Genpro Research ("Genpro"), a Massachusetts-based global clinical research organization with staff in the US, India, and Ireland. Genpro is a next generation services and technology partner for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices industry with expertise in biometrics, medical writing, RWE, and AI enabled automation product development. Genpro will continue to be led by Dr. Sachin Marulkar and the existing management team. Commenting on the announcement, Catalyst CEO Nick Dyer said, "We are hugely enthusiastic about the addition of Genpro to our family. We share the opportunity to expand our global footprint, broaden and deepen our services, and to use the AI platform to create value for ourselves and customers in a range of labor-intensive document creation processes. In addition, our approach to prioritizing culture and treating our teams like family are similar and will act as a critical foundation for our combined company as we move forward." Genpro CEO Dr. Sachin Marulkar added, "By joining Catalyst, we will continue to expand our biometrics, scientific reporting and technology offerings, have access to more opportunities globally, and provide our clients with additional products and services. We are excited to utilize the synergies in advancing our AI/ML technology platform to create beneficial new tools and improve the efficiency of clinical research. Catalyst is highly aligned with our purpose, values, and our relationship-driven focus. We look forward to stepping into these opportunities while still acting with the speed and flexibility our customers value and maintaining the collaborative culture that is so important to our employees." This acquisition adds more than 120 team members in India with expertise in biometrics and medical writing further bolstering Catalyst's robust functional service offerings. This further enables biopharma, MedTech and CRO clients (current and future) to access Catalyst's specialized clinical research services, along with broader expertise in global time zones, new solutions, and early access to innovative automation platforms. Melissa Church, Senior Vice President, Strategy at Catalyst, expressed the strategic significance of the acquisition, emphasizing its importance in advancing Catalyst's commitment to providing top-notch specialized clinical development solutions. She stated, "Catalyst is extremely intentional in its acquisition approach, ensuring we choose organizations that are additive to our capabilities and match well with our people-first culture. In Genpro we are gaining a very talented team delivering function specific biometrics and medical writing services which fits squarely in our strategic growth plan supporting both our Catalyst Flex and Catalyst Oncology solutions. This creates more value for our customers, collaborators, partners and investors long term." Highlighting scientific and innovation focus of the deal, Kapil Khambholja, Genpro's CSO and Practice Head of Medical Writing, Real-World Evidence, and Health Economics and Outcomes Research (RWE & HEOR) emphasised both company's shared commitment for advancing therapies beyond milestones to transforming lives. Dr Kapil stated, "This partnership will propel Genpro's automation roadmap forward, aligning strategically with Catalyst's interests. We are also thrilled to see Genpro's scientific initiatives gaining momentum, and we eagerly anticipate collaborating with Catalyst's dedicated team to inspire advancements of breakthrough therapies touching lives." About Catalyst Clinical Research Catalyst is a clinical research organization (CRO) that provides highly customizable solutions to the global biopharmaceutical industry through two established, branded solutions: Catalyst Oncology and Catalyst Flex. The company provides full-service oncology CRO offerings through Catalyst Oncology and multi-therapeutic Client- or Catalyst-managed functional services through Catalyst Flex. With around 1000 staff and offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions, Catalyst's flexible service model is built from more than a decade of listening to customers, devising customer-centric solutions, and helping customers drive breakthrough clinical studies by leveraging expert teams and innovative technologies. Catalyst is a portfolio company of QHP Capital, a leading healthcare and life sciences investment firm. About Genpro Research Genpro Research is a technology and services partner dedicated to serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical devices industries. By providing expertise in biostatistics, data sciences, medical writing & evidence synthesis, the focus has been on thoughtful service execution on clinical studies. And, as an experienced technology provider, Genpro uses Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Natural Language Processing algorithms for clinical development and post-launch activities, Genpro's central commercial platform called MaiA is used for Evidence Generation and Study Report Automation that brings depth and clarity to enable informed decision making.

Read More