On January 21, 2025 Replimune Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REPL), a clinical stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of novel oncolytic immunotherapies, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the Biologics License Application (BLA) for RP1 (vusolimogene oderparepvec) in combination with nivolumab for patients with advanced melanoma (Press release, Replimune, JAN 21, 2025, View Source [SID1234649796]). The FDA granted the BLA Priority Review with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of July 22, 2025. The FDA also informed the Company that they are not currently planning to hold an advisory committee meeting in relation to this application, and at this time have not identified any potential review issues. The BLA is supported by the primary analysis data of the IGNYTE trial, evaluating RP1 combined with nivolumab in patients with anti-PD-1 failed melanoma. A confirmatory Phase 3 trial, IGNYTE-3, is currently underway with over 100 sites planned globally.
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"There are limited treatment options and a significant unmet need for patients with advanced melanoma who previously received an anti-PD-1 containing regimen," said Sushil Patel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Replimune. "The BLA acceptance is an important milestone for Replimune, and we look forward to working closely with the FDA on the review of our application."
The FDA grants Priority Review to applications for medicines that, if approved, provide significant improvements in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment of a serious condition. Recently, Replimune received Breakthrough Therapy designation for RP1 in combination with nivolumab for the treatment of advanced melanoma, based on the safety and clinical activity observed in the anti-PD-1 failed melanoma cohort of the IGNYTE clinical trial.
The confirmatory IGNYTE-3 trial is assessing RP1 in combination with nivolumab in patients with advanced melanoma who have progressed on anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 therapies or are ineligible for anti-CTLA-4 treatment. For more information, please visit View Source
About Melanoma
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer, with approximately 100,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths estimated in the U.S. in 2024.i Standard of care therapy includes treatment with immune checkpoint blockade, to which approximately half of patients will not respond or will progress after treatment. Options are limited after immune checkpoint blockade therapy, with no standard of care available to patients.
About RP1
RP1 (vusolimogene oderparepvec) is Replimune’s lead product candidate and is based on a proprietary strain of herpes simplex virus engineered and genetically armed with a fusogenic protein (GALV-GP R-) and GM-CSF, intended to maximize tumor killing potency, the immunogenicity of tumor cell death, and the activation of a systemic anti-tumor immune response.