FDA grants priority review for Novartis Kymriah for treating r/r DLBCL

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has assured priority review of Novartis supplemental Biological License Application (sBLA) for Kymriah suspension for intravenous infusion, formerly CTL019, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are ineligible for or relapse after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted accelerated assessment to the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Kymriah for the treatment of children and young adults with r/r B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and for adult patients with r/r DLBCL who are ineligible for ASCT. Kymriah is a novel immunocellular therapy and a one-time treatment that uses a patient’s own T cells to fight cancer. Kymriah uses the 4-1BB costimulatory domain in its chimeric antigen receptor to enhance cellular expansion and persistence.

It is noteworthy that priority Review and enhanced assessment are usually  applied to therapies that may indicate a possible enhancement of safety and effectiveness of curing a humongous disease, the designations are likely to further the standard review time. Kymriah became the first CAR-T cell therapy to receive regulatory approval when it was approved by the FDA in August 2017 for the treatment of patients up to 25 years of age with B-cell precursor ALL that is refractory or in second or later relapse.

Samit Hirawat, MD, Head, Novartis Oncology Global Drug Development said “The Priority Review designation and accelerated assessment signal that the FDA and EMA have recognized the potential of Kymriah to provide a much-needed therapeutic option for these patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell ALL and DLBCL. We are now focused on working with these regulatory agencies to bring this potentially transformative therapy to more patients.”