Meeting highlights from the CHMP meeting in July 2016
26.07.2016
CHMP recommends eight new medicines for approval
The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended eight medicines for approval at its July meeting.
The CHMP recommended granting marketing authorisations for two medicines for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer). Cabometyx (cabozantinib) and Kisplyx (lenvatinib) are indicated for the treatment of adult patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma who have been previously treated with a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor; Cabometyx is to be used as monotherapy while Kisplyx is for use in combination with everolimus.
The Committee recommended granting a paediatric use marketing authorisation (PUMA) for Sialanar (glycopyrronium bromide) to treat severe drooling in children and adolescents with neurological disorders. This followed a re-examination of the Committee’s earlier negative opinion. PUMAs can be granted for medicines which are already authorised, but no longer under patent protection, and that have been developed specifically for children. This is the third time that the Committee has recommended a PUMA since the introduction of this type of marketing authorisation by the Paediatric Regulation, which came into force in 2007.
The Committee recommended granting a marketing authorisation for the orphan medicine Onivyde (irinotecan) for the treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
Truberzi (eluxadoline) was recommended for approval for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea.
A generic medicine, Tenofovir disoproxil Zentiva (tenofovir disoproxil), was recommended for approval by the CHMP for the treatment of HIV-1 infection and chronic hepatitis B.
Two biosimilar medicines, Inhixa and Thorinane (both containing enoxaparin sodium), received positive opinions for the prevention and treatment of various disorders related to blood clots in adults.
Five recommendations on extensions of therapeutic indications
The Committee recommended extensions of indications for Ameluz, Imbruvica, Orencia, Truvada and Xalkori.
Additional information on the extension of indication for Truvada as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV-1 infection is available on EMA's website.
CHMP confirms recommendations for use of Zydelig
The Committee confirmed that the benefits of Zydelig (idelalisib) in the treatment of the blood cancers chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and follicular lymphoma outweigh the risk of side effects. However, following a review it has updated recommendations to minimise the risk of serious infections in patients treated with the medicine. More information is available on HALMED's website.
Outcome of the review related to studies conducted at Semler Research Centre Private Ltd
The CHMP recommended suspending a number of nationally approved medicines for which bioequivalence studies were conducted at Semler Research Centre Private Ltd, Bangalore, India. Also, medicines currently being evaluated for authorisation, which rely only on bioequivalence studies from this site, will not be authorised until bioequivalence is demonstrated using alternative data.
There are currently no authorised medicines in the Republic of Croatia for which bioequivalence studies were conducted at the specified site.
More information is available on EMA's website.
Withdrawal of application
The application for a marketing authorisation for Begedina (begelomab) has been withdrawn.
More information on the CHMP's July 2016 meeting can be found on EMA's website.
