Eisai’s Lecanemab: US FDA Showed Flexibility On Clinical Endpoint Results, Safety Database Size

Alzheimer’s drug’s failure to meet Phase II endpoint did not preclude accelerated approval in light of statistically significant reduction in amyloid plaque and ‘generally consistent and favorable results on clinical endpoints.’ Size of six-month safety database also fell shy of ICH guidelines.

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FDA showed some flexibility on data requirements for lecanemab given the serious nature of Alzheimer's disease. • Source: Shutterstock

The US FDA exercised regulatory flexibility on Eisai Co., Ltd. and Biogen, Inc.’s Leqembi (lecanemab-irmb) in its evaluation of clinical efficacy data, and the size of the safety database, for the Alzheimer’s disease drug.

More from Approvals

New EU Approvals

 

The Pink Sheet's list of EU centralized approvals of new active substances has been updated to include four new products, one of which is Vimkunya, Bavarian Nordic's chikungunya vaccine.

New EU Filings

 

Levodopa/carbidopa (ND0612), Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma’s investigational drug-device combination therapy for the treatment of motor fluctuations in people with Parkinson’s disease, is among the latest products that have been filed for review by the European Medicines Agency for potential EU marketing approval.

Japan Recommends Beyonttra, Raises Enhertu Price

 
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Japan recommends eight new drugs for approval, including two for cardiomyopathy, and will also raise prices for multiple products, including Enhertu, on 1 April.

Generic Approvals Maintained Pace In December And January, But Is A Slow-Down Coming?

 

Unofficial January results showed the US FDA continued to issue full and tentative ANDA approvals in line with previous months, but recent layoffs may not help the agency maintain that pace.

More from Product Reviews

European Regulator Deals Blow For Lilly’s Alzheimer’s Drug Kisunla

 

Eli Lilly’ will request a re-examination after the European Medicines Agency declined to recommend its Alzheimer’s disease drug Kisunla for EU approval.

EMA’s Newly Qualified AI Tool To Boost MASH Market Dynamics

 

The European Medicines Agency’s qualification of the AIM-NASH tool is said to signify a major advancement for clinical trials for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. The market size for MASH treatments is expected to grow substantially in the coming years.

EMA Considers Whether Intrathecal Zolgensma Deserves Fast Tracking

 

Novartis is planning to file EU and US marketing applications for an intrathecal formulation of its spinal muscular atrophy gene therapy, Zolgensma, in H1 2025.