CHMP News May 2015
22.05.2015
CHMP recommended eight new medicines, including three cancer immunotherapies, for approval
Eight new medicines have been recommended for approval at the May 2015 meeting of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).
The CHMP has recommended the following:
- granting a marketing authorisation for Repatha (evolocumab), a first-in-class treatment to lower high levels of cholesterol in the blood of people who are unable to control their cholesterol despite taking optimal doses of statins or who cannot take statins. Repatha is also recommended to treat homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, a rare inherited disorder.
- granting a marketing authorisation for the three immunotherapies for the treatment of different types of cancer: Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to treat advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma, Nivolumab BMS (nivolumab) to treat adults with squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and Unituxin (dinutiximab) for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma - a type of cancer that most often occurs in young children. Unituxin was granted an orphan designation in 2011.
- granting a marketing authorisation for Evotaz (atazanavir / cobicistat) intended for the treatment of HIV-1 infected adults without known mutations associated with resistance to atazanavir.
- granting a marketing authorisation for Omidria (phenylephrine / ketorolac for maintenance of intraoperative mydriasis, prevention of intraoperative miosis and reduction of acute postoperative ocular pain in intraocular lens replacement surgery.
- Two generic medicines received positive opinions from the CHMP: Bortezomib Accord (bortezomib) for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma and Pregabalin Zentiva (pregabalin) for the treatment of epilepsy and generalised anxiety disorder.
Six recommendations on extensions of therapeutic indication
The CHMP recommended extensions of indication for Fycompa, Imbruvica, Kuvan, Simponi, Stelara and Xultophy.
Outcome of re-examination of GVK Bio Sciences
The CHMP has confirmed its recommendation to suspend a number of medicines for which authorisation in the European Union were primarily based on clinical studies conducted at GVK Biosciences in Hyderabad, India.
Withdrawal of applications
The applications for marketing authorisation for Aripiprazole Mylan (aripiprazole) and Corluxin (mifepristone) have been withdrawn.
More information on this, and all other outcomes of the CHMP’s May 2015 meeting, is available here.
