Comeback for Pfizer's inotuzumab ozogamicin, which gets FDA Breakthrough status

20 October 2015

The Food and Drug Administration has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation for US pharma giant Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) once failed inotuzumab ozogamicin for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

The Breakthrough Therapy designation was based on the results of the Phase 3 INO-VATE ALL trial, which enrolled 326 adult patients with relapsed or refractory CD22-positive ALL and compared inotuzumab ozogamicin to standard of care chemotherapy. Top-line results from the trial were announced in April 2015 and also presented at the 20th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA; The Pharma Letter April 21, 2015).

“Inotuzumab ozogamicin is the third Pfizer oncology medicine to be granted Breakthrough Therapy designation by the FDA, underscoring our commitment to innovative research and development that addresses significant unmet needs. Breakthrough Therapy designation will allow us to work more closely with the FDA to bring this important therapy to patients as rapidly as possible,” said Mace Rothenberg, senior vice president of clinical development and medical affairs and chief medical officer for Pfizer Oncology. “Advancing therapies for patients with adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia is crucial as only 10 percent of adults with ALL who relapse after first-line therapy survive five years or more with current treatment options,” Dr Rothenberg noted.

This article is accessible to registered users, to continue reading please register for free.  A free trial will give you access to exclusive features, interviews, round-ups and commentary from the sharpest minds in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology space for a week. If you are already a registered user please login. If your trial has come to an end, you can subscribe here.

Login to your account

Become a subscriber

 

£820

Or £77 per month

Subscribe Now
  • Unfettered access to industry-leading news, commentary and analysis in pharma and biotech.
  • Updates from clinical trials, conferences, M&A, licensing, financing, regulation, patents & legal, executive appointments, commercial strategy and financial results.
  • Daily roundup of key events in pharma and biotech.
  • Monthly in-depth briefings on Boardroom appointments and M&A news.
  • Choose from a cost-effective annual package or a flexible monthly subscription
The Pharma Letter is an extremely useful and valuable Life Sciences service that brings together a daily update on performance people and products. It’s part of the key information for keeping me informed

Chairman, Sanofi Aventis UK

Companies featured in this story

More ones to watch >


Today's issue

Company Spotlight





More Features in Pharmaceutical