FDA On What Aduhelm AdCom Got Wrong: Statistics, Investigational Drugs, Patient Perspective

After a searing advisory committee on aducanumab, FDA reviewers undertook an extensive effort to counter or discount the panel’s criticisms, newly released review documents show. Among the unusual moves by the agency was the citation of data from two investigational products, Lilly’s donanemab and Biogen/Eisai’s BAN2401, as evidence in support of aducanumab.

Alzheimer's
FDA answers critics in review documents for Alzheimer's disease drug Aduhelm • Source: Alamy

The advisory committee review of aducanumab in November was a bruising affair for the US Food and Drug Administration, with a near unanimous vote against the drug and several pointed remarks directed to the agency by panelists about what they saw as an overly collegial relationship with the sponsor. FDA’s subsequent decision to grant accelerated approval of the Alzheimer’s drug suggested that the agency basically ignored the advisory committee, but newly released documents show that reviewers actually engaged in an extensive effort to downplay and dispute the panel’s conclusions. 

The committee erred in endorsing the findings of FDA’s statistical reviewers, failed to consider the similar treatment effects on clinical...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on Pink Sheet for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from Approval Standards

US FDA’s ADHD Drug Relabeling Advances A MAHA Priority, Reviving Data Dispute

 

Extended-release stimulants will add a new ‘Limitation of Use’ about weight loss in children under 6 years, reflecting concerns about overuse from the Make America Healthy Again commission, a concern multiple studies did not find valid.

How Will Regulatory Filing Winds Blow Globally For Elevidys Following Patient Deaths?

 

Roche’s filing for Elevidys in the EU followed applications in Middle Eastern countries because those markets accept applications based on approval by the US Food and Drugs Administration.

Early Support For EMA’s Trial Of US-Style Standards In Non-Clinical Reviews

 
• By 

An ongoing proof-of-concept study by the European Medicines Agency testing the use of US-style standards for submitting non-clinical raw data in marketing applications has received positive feedback from both industry and regulatory assessors so far.

New EU Approvals

 

The Pink Sheet's list of EU centralized approvals of new active substances has been updated to include two new products, one of which is Tepezza, Amgen's treatment for moderate to severe thyroid eye disease.

More from Pathways & Standards

America Next: Most Novel Agents With July Goal Dates Have Been Approved Overseas

 

The US FDA will not be in its usual position as the first regulator to approve novel drugs, with only one of the six novel candidates on the July user fee calendar seeking its first approval worldwide in the US

PDUFA VIII: Cutting Perceived Conflict Of Interest May Be A Theme

 

Ongoing questions about user fees exerting too much influence over the FDA could spawn a shift in the PDUFA structure when talks begin later this year.

Repurposed Drugs: EU Pharma Reform Offers Boost, But Payers ‘Must Recognize Health Gains’

 

Incentives for repurposed drugs proposed as part of the EU pharma reform package are a “great step forward,” but more recognition is needed from payers and regulators to leverage the benefits of these medicines, experts say.