Drugs

Bladder Cancer Drug Meets Primary Endpoint: Pfizer

Pfizer says the pivotal Phase 3 CREST trial of sasanlimab, an investigational anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb), in combination with standard of care (SOC) Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) met its primary endpoint as an induction therapy with or without maintenance in patients with BCG-naïve, high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. In the trial, the primary endpoint of evnt-free survival was met, “demonstrating a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement with sasanlimab in combination with BCG (induction and maintenance) as compared to BCG alone (induction and maintenance),” the company says.

The study findings also show a 32% reduction in risk of disease-related events, including high-grade disease recurrence or progression, with the sasanlimab combination regimen as compared with SOC treatment alone. “The probability of being event-free at 36 months was 82.1% (95% CI, 77.4-85.9) with sasanlimab in combination with BCG (induction and maintenance), and 74.8% (95% CI, 69.7-79.2) with BCG alone (induction and maintenance),” Pfizer says. “These Phase 3 results show that combining sasanlimab with BCG induction and maintenance therapy earlier in the course of the disease significantly prolonged event-free survival, highlighting the value and potential of sasanlimab in combination with BCG to redefine the treatment paradigm and reduce the burden for patients.”

Pfizer additionally notes that an early interim analysis for the key secondary overall survival endpoint suggested no difference between treatment arms, with a median follow-up of 40.9 months. The study will continue for survival follow-up until the final analysis, it says.

Sasanlimab is described by Pfizer as a humanized immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) mAb that binds to human PD-1 to block its interaction with PD-1 and PD-L1/PD-L2. “PD-1 is a protein expressed on T cells, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, macrophages, and B cells, that functions as an immune checkpoint that negatively regulates T-cell activation and effector function when activated by its ligands and may play an important role in tumor evasion from host immunity,” it says.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome