On April 9, 2018 Verastem, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSTM), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing medicines to improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients, reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing with Priority Review its New Drug Application (NDA) for its lead product candidate duvelisib (Press release, Verastem, APR 9, 2018, View Source [SID1234529549]). Duvelisib is a first-in-class oral dual inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-delta and PI3K-gamma, for which Verastem is seeking full approval for the treatment of relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) and accelerated approval for the treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). The FDA target action date is October 5, 2018.

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"Obtaining Priority Review in the U.S. for duvelisib marks another important milestone for Verastem and speaks to the unmet need in relapsed/refractory CLL/SLL and FL and the urgency to identify effective therapies to treat these patients," said Robert Forrester, President and Chief Executive Officer of Verastem. "As an orally administered therapy, we believe duvelisib will provide an important treatment option for patients with CLL/SLL and FL, and for the physicians who treat them. We look forward to working with the FDA during the review process. We are continuing our commercial preparations for duvelisib to execute the launch promptly in the U.S. if approved. In parallel, we are exploring ex-U.S. partnering opportunities for duvelisib and plan to file a European Marketing Application towards the end of the year."

Priority Review is granted by the FDA to drugs that, if approved, would provide significant improvements in the safety or effectiveness of the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of a serious condition. Duvelisib has received Fast Track Designation from the FDA for patients with CLL who have received at least one prior therapy and for patients with FL who have received at least two prior therapies. In addition, duvelisib received orphan drug designation in the United States and the European Union for patients with CLL, SLL and FL.

About Duvelisib

Duvelisib is a first-in-class investigational, dual inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-delta and PI3K-gamma, two enzymes known to help support the growth and survival of malignant B-cells and T-cells. PI3K signaling may lead to the proliferation of malignant B- and T-cells and is thought to play a role in the formation and maintenance of the supportive tumor microenvironment.1,2,3 Duvelisib was evaluated in late- and mid-stage extension trials, including DUO, a randomized, Phase 3 monotherapy study in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL),4 and DYNAMO, a single-arm, Phase 2 monotherapy study in patients with refractory indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL).5 Both DUO and DYNAMO achieved their primary endpoints and the FDA is reviewing a New Drug Application (NDA) requesting the full approval of duvelisib for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL, and accelerated approval for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL). Duvelisib is also being developed by Verastem for the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), which has Fast Track status, and is being investigated in combination with other agents through investigator-sponsored studies.6 Information about duvelisib clinical trials can be found on www.clinicaltrials.gov.