On October 14, 2016 Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) reported that the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion for Venclyxto (venetoclax) for the treatment of people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in the presence of 17p deletion or TP53 mutation who are unsuitable for or have failed a B-cell receptor pathway inhibitor (Press release, Hoffmann-La Roche , OCT 14, 2016, View Source [SID:SID1234515807]). Venclyxto is also recommended for the treatment of people with CLL without 17p deletion or TP53 mutation who have failed both chemo-immunotherapy and a B-cell receptor pathway inhibitor. Based on this positive CHMP recommendation, a final decision regarding the conditional marketing authorisation of Venclyxto is expected from the European Commission in the coming months. Venclyxto is being co-developed by AbbVie and Roche.
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"We are pleased that this positive CHMP opinion brings us closer to providing a much needed new treatment option to people in Europe with this difficult-to-treat disease," said Sandra Horning, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development. "We look forward to continuing the development of this promising medicine in other blood cancers with our partner AbbVie."
Venclyxto is marketed as Venclexta in the United States. Venclexta received accelerated approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April of this year for the treatment of people with CLL with 17p deletion, as detected by an FDA approved test, who have received at least one prior therapy. Venclexta/Venclyxto is the first approved medicine designed to trigger a natural process that helps cells self-destruct, providing a new way to help people who received previous treatment for their CLL or who have a high-risk form of CLL.
About Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL)
CLL is the most common type of leukaemia in the Western world. CLL mainly affects men and the median age at diagnosis is about 70 years. Worldwide, the incidence of all leukaemias is estimated to be over 350,000 and CLL is estimated to affect around one-third of all people newly diagnosed with leukaemia. Although signs of CLL may disappear for a period of time after initial treatment, the disease is considered incurable and many people will require additional treatment due to the return of cancerous cells.
In certain cases of CLL, a part of chromosome 17 is lost and along with it an important gene that controls apoptosis (programmed cell death) called p53. The 17p deletion is found in 3 to 10 percent of previously untreated cases and up to 30 to 50 percent of relapsed or refractory cases.
About Venclexta/Venclyxto
Venclexta/Venclyxto is a small molecule designed to selectively bind and inhibit the BCL-2 protein, which plays an important role in a process called apoptosis (programmed cell death). Overexpression of the BCL-2 protein in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) has been associated with resistance to certain therapies. It is believed that blocking BCL-2 may restore the signalling system that tells cells, including cancer cells, to self-destruct. Venclexta/Venclyxto is being co-developed by AbbVie and Roche. Together, the companies are committed to research with Venclexta/Venclyxto, which is currently being evaluated in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of relapsed, refractory and previously untreated CLL, along with studies in several other cancers. Venclexta/Venclyxto is jointly commercialised by AbbVie and Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, in the United States and commercialised by AbbVie outside of the United States.