Abecma Approval In Earlier Myeloma Carries Caution On Early Death Data

Labeling describes early death imbalance that delayed approval of Bristol Myers Squibb’s CAR-T therapy for more than three months after its user fee goal, but does not add to boxed warning; J&J’s Carvykti is due for imminent US FDA action on its own early-stage myeloma bid.

BMS (Bristol) building
• Source: Shutterstock

The US FDA’s concerns over early deaths associated with BCMA-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy are being handled by labeling changes, including a new section in the Warning and Precautions section in the labeling for a new indication approved 4 April 2024 for Bristol Myers Squibb Company/2seventy Bio, Inc.’s B-cell maturation agent (BCMA)-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel).

Key Takeaways

  • Bristol Myers Squibb/2seventy bio’s Abecma approved for triple-class exposed multiple myeloma patients after two prior lines of therapy on 4 April 2024, moving use of the CAR-T therapy earlier than its original fifth-line-plus indication.

“A higher proportion of patients in the Abecma arm compared to the standard regimen’s arm died within the first 9...

Pink Sheet Podcast

Learn what's happening at the US FDA. On the go.

Derrick Gingery and the team bring you a weekly "Drug Fix".

More from US FDA Performance Tracker

Ocaliva Confirmatory Trial Failed To Verify Benefit In Primary Biliary Cholangitis, US FDA Says

 
• By 

A real-world evidence study also does not meet the regulatory standard for an adequate and well-controlled clinical investigation, the agency said. The FDA should allow the accelerated approval drug to remain available like other treatments that failed their confirmatory trials, Intercept said.  

Recent And Upcoming FDA Advisory Committee Meetings

Recent and upcoming US FDA advisory committee meetings and a summary of the topics covered. 

EU Filings Tracker TEST

New marketing authorization applications filed with the European Medicines Agency's human medicines committee (the CHMP) for review under the EU's centralized procedure. Updated monthly.

US FDA Adcomm Reform Ideas: Neutral Facilitator As Chair, Public Hearing Lottery Process Tweaks

 
• By 

Proposal to have panelists rate the strength of efficacy and safety evidence on a numeric scale also draws support in written comments on ways to optimize the advisory committee process.

More from Regulatory Trackers

Ocaliva Confirmatory Trial Failed To Verify Benefit In Primary Biliary Cholangitis, US FDA Says

 
• By 

A real-world evidence study also does not meet the regulatory standard for an adequate and well-controlled clinical investigation, the agency said. The FDA should allow the accelerated approval drug to remain available like other treatments that failed their confirmatory trials, Intercept said.  

Global Pharma Guidance Tracker – August 2024

 
• By 

Stay up to date on regulatory guidelines from around the world with the Pink Sheet's Guidance Tracker. The complete Global Pharma Guidance Tracker, with sortable and searchable listings going back to 2014, is available online.

Recent And Upcoming FDA Advisory Committee Meetings

Recent and upcoming US FDA advisory committee meetings and a summary of the topics covered.