Health Canada Grants Market Authorization for ORKAMBI® (lumacaftor/ivacaftor) for Children with Cystic Fibrosis Aged 2 to 5 Years Old with Most Common Form of the Disease
- ORKAMBI is the first medicine in
“We believe it is important to treat the underlying cause of cystic
fibrosis as early as possible and are committed to expanding treatment
options for young children,” said
Approval is based on a Phase 3 open-label safety study in 60 patients that showed treatment with ORKAMBI was generally well tolerated for 24 weeks, with a safety profile similar to that in patients ages 6-11 years. Improvements in sweat chloride, a secondary endpoint, were observed at week 24 (mean decrease in sweat chloride from baseline of 31.7 mmol/L; 95% CI: -35.7, -27.6, n=49).
In the Phase 3 study, researchers also saw changes in key growth
parameters, which were also secondary endpoints in the study. The most
common adverse event (≥30%) was cough (63%); most adverse events were
mild or moderate in severity. Four patients experienced serious adverse
events (2 pulmonary exacerbations, 1 gastroenteritis, 1 constipation)
and three patients discontinued treatment due to treatment emergent
adverse events of elevated liver function tests. These findings were
presented at the 41st
ORKAMBI was approved by the U.
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a rare, life-threatening genetic disease affecting
approximately 75,000 people in
CF is caused by a defective or missing cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein resulting from mutations in the CFTR gene. Children must inherit two defective CFTR genes — one from each parent — to have CF. There are approximately 2,000 known mutations in the CFTR gene. Some of these mutations, which can be determined by a genetic test, or genotyping test, lead to CF by creating non-working or too few CFTR proteins at the cell surface. The defective function or absence of CFTR protein results in poor flow of salt and water into and out of the cell in a number of organs. In the lungs, this leads to the buildup of abnormally thick, sticky mucus that can cause chronic lung infections and progressive lung damage in many patients that eventually leads to death. The median age of death is in the mid-to-late 20s.
About ORKAMBI (lumacaftor/ivacaftor)
ORKAMBI is a combination of lumacaftor, which is designed to increase the amount of mature protein at the cell surface by targeting the processing and trafficking defect of the F508del CFTR protein, and ivacaftor, which is designed to enhance the function of the CFTR protein once it reaches the cell surface.
U.S. INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION FOR ORKAMBI® (lumacaftor/ivacaftor)
ORKAMBI is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients age 2 years and older who have two copies of the F508del mutation (F508del/F508del) in their CFTR gene. ORKAMBI should only be used in these patients. It is not known if ORKAMBI is safe and effective in children under 2 years of age.
Patients should not take ORKAMBI if they are taking certain medicines or herbal supplements, such as: the antibiotics rifampin or rifabutin; the seizure medicines phenobarbital, carbamazepine, or phenytoin; the sedatives and anti-anxiety medicines triazolam or midazolam; the immunosuppressant medicines cyclosporine, everolimus, sirolimus, or tacrolimus; or St. John’s wort.
Before taking ORKAMBI, patients should tell their doctor about all their medical conditions, including if they: have or have had liver problems; have kidney problems; have had an organ transplant; or are using birth control. Hormonal contraceptives, including oral, injectable, transdermal, or implantable forms should not be used as a method of birth control when taking ORKAMBI. Patients should tell their doctor if they are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is unknown if ORKAMBI will harm the unborn baby) or if they are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed (it is unknown if ORKAMBI passes into breast milk).
ORKAMBI may affect the way other medicines work and other medicines may affect how ORKAMBI works. Therefore, the dose of ORKAMBI or other medicines may need to be adjusted when taken together. Patients should especially tell their doctor if they take: antifungal medicines such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, or voriconazole; or antibiotics such as telithromycin, clarithromycin, or erythromycin.
When taking ORKAMBI, patients should tell their doctor if they stop ORKAMBI for more than 1 week as the doctor may need to change the dose of ORKAMBI or other medicines the patient is taking.
ORKAMBI can cause serious side effects, including:
Worsening of liver function in people with severe liver disease. The worsening of liver function can be serious or cause death. Patients should talk to their doctor if they have been told they have liver disease as their doctor may need to adjust the dose of ORKAMBI.
High liver enzymes in the blood, which can be a sign of liver injury. The patient’s doctor will do blood tests to check their liver before they start ORKAMBI, every three months during the first year of taking ORKAMBI, and annually thereafter. The patient should call the doctor right away if they have any of the following symptoms of liver problems: pain or discomfort in the upper right stomach (abdominal) area; yellowing of the skin or the white part of the eyes; loss of appetite; nausea or vomiting; dark, amber-colored urine; or confusion.
Breathing problems such as shortness of breath or chest tightness in patients when starting ORKAMBI, especially in patients who have poor lung function. If a patient has poor lung function, their doctor may monitor them more closely when starting ORKAMBI.
An increase in blood pressure in some people receiving ORKAMBI. The patient’s doctor should monitor their blood pressure during treatment with ORKAMBI.
Abnormality of the eye lens (cataract) in some children and adolescents receiving ORKAMBI. For children and adolescents, the patient’s doctor should perform eye examinations before and during treatment with ORKAMBI to look for cataracts.
The most common side effects of ORKAMBI include: breathing problems, such as shortness of breath and chest tightness; nausea; diarrhea; fatigue; increase in a certain blood enzyme called creatinine phosphokinase; rash; gas; common cold, including sore throat, stuffy or runny nose; flu or flu-like symptoms; and irregular, missed, or abnormal periods (menses) and increase in the amount of menstrual bleeding.
Side effects seen in children are similar to those seen in adults and adolescents. Additional common side effects seen in children include: cough with sputum, stuffy nose, headache, stomach pain, and increase in sputum.
Please click here to see the full U.S. Prescribing Information for ORKAMBI (lumacaftor/ivacaftor).
About Vertex
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious and life-threatening diseases. In addition to clinical development programs in CF, Vertex has more than a dozen ongoing research programs focused on the underlying mechanisms of other serious diseases.
Founded in 1989 in
For additional information and the latest updates from the company, please visit www.vrtx.com.
Collaborative History with
Vertex initiated its CF research program in 2000 as part of a
collaboration with CFFT, the nonprofit drug discovery and development
affiliate of the
Special Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended,
including the statements by Dr. Kewalramani in the second paragraph and
statements regarding the anticipated timing of an EMA decision on the
MAA line extension. While the company believes the forward-looking
statements contained in this press release are accurate, there are a
number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements.
Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that
regulatory authorities may not approve, or approve on a timely basis,
the company's drug candidates due to safety, efficacy or other reasons,
and the other risks listed under Risk Factors in Vertex's annual report
and quarterly reports filed with the
(VRTX-GEN)
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Source:
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Investors:
Michael
Partridge, 617-341-6108
Eric Rojas, 617-961-7205
Zach Barber, 617-341-6470
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