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news.AstraZeneca and Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted a New Drug Application (NDA) and granted priority review for the MEK 1/2 inhibitor selumetinib as a potential new medicine for pediatric patients aged three years and older with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and symptomatic, inoperable plexiform neurofibromas (PNs)
Image: AstraZeneca building in Gaithersburg, USA. Photo: Courtesy of AstraZeneca.
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This is the first acceptance of a regulatory submission for an oral MEK 1/2 monotherapy for patients with NF1, a rare and incurable genetic condition. A Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date is set for the second quarter of 2020.
This regulatory submission was based on positive results from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program (CTEP)-sponsored SPRINT Phase 2 Stratum 1 trial. An objective response rate (ORR) was achieved in 66% of pediatric patients with NF1 and symptomatic, inoperable PNs (n=33/50 patients) when treated with selumetinib as a twice-daily oral monotherapy. ORR was defined as the percentage of patients with a confirmed complete or partial response of ≥ 20% tumor volume reduction.
Selumetinib was granted U.S. FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for this population in April of 2019, U.S. FDA Orphan Drug Designation in February of 2018, EU Orphan Drug Designation by the European Medicines Agency in August 2018, and Swissmedic Orphan Drug Status in December 2018. AstraZeneca and Merck have a strategic collaboration agreement to co-develop and co-commercialize selumetinib globally.
Source: Company Press Release.
