Friday 22 August 2014

FDA Approves Eliquis (apixaban) for the Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism







Thursday, August 21, 2014 - Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Eliquis for the treatment of DVT and PE, and for the reduction in the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy. Combined, DVT and PE are known as VTE. It is estimated that every year, approximately 900,000 Americans are affected by DVT and PE.

http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/fda-approves-eliquis-apixaban-deep-vein-thrombosis-pulmonary-embolism-4073.html?utm_source=ddc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Today%27s+news+summary+-+August+21%2C+2014

APIXABAN 13
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer Inc. announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Eliquis (apixaban) for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). The FDA also approved an expanded use for Eliquis reducing the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy.

The full Prescribing Information for Eliquis includes Boxed Warnings for the increased risk of thrombotic events in patients who prematurely discontinue Eliquis; and for the increased risk of epidural or spinal hematoma, which may cause long-term or permanent paralysis, in patients using Eliquis and undergoing spinal epidural anesthesia or spinal puncture.

Eliquis increases the risk of bleeding and can cause serious, potentially fatal, bleeding.

Eliquis was approved for the treatment of DVT and PE, and for the reduction in the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy, based on data from the global AMPLIFY and AMPLIFY-EXT studies.

The AMPLIFY study, a randomized, double-blind trial, was designed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of Eliquis for the treatment of DVT and PE, and included patients with confirmed symptomatic DVT or PE (2,609 for Eliquis and 2,635 for standard of care, which was initial enoxaparin treatment for at least five days, overlapped by warfarin therapy [International Normalized Ratio (INR) range 2.0-3.0] orally for six months).

In the AMPLIFY study, Eliquis 10 mg twice daily for one week followed by 5 mg twice daily for six months demonstrated efficacy comparable to standard of care in treating DVT and PE patients for the primary efficacy composite endpoint of recurrent, symptomatic VTE, or VTE-related death (2.3% vs. 2.7%, relative risk, 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60 to 1.18; P-value<0.0001 for noninferiority).

Eliquis demonstrated superiority in the primary safety endpoint of major bleeding versus standard of care (0.6% vs. 1.8%, relative risk 0.31; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.55; P<0.0001 for superiority). Major bleeding was defined as clinically overt bleeding that was accompanied by one or more of the following: a decrease in the hemoglobin level of 2 g/dL or more; a transfusion of two or more units of packed red blood cells; bleeding that occurred in at least one of the following critical sites: intracranial, intraspinal, intraocular, pericardial, intra-articular, intramuscular with compartment syndrome, retroperitoneal; or bleeding that was fatal.

For the secondary safety endpoint in the AMPLIFY study, the event rates for clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (CRNM) were fewer in Eliquis-treated patients compared to standard of care-treated patients (3.9% vs. 8.0%). CRNM was defined as overt bleeding that did not meet the criteria for major bleeding but was associated with a medical intervention, contact with a physician, interruption of the study drug, or discomfort or impairment in carrying out daily activities.

In AMPLIFY, the discontinuation rate due to bleeding events was 0.7% in the Eliquis-treated patients compared to 1.7% in enoxaparin/warfarin-treated patients.

“We are pleased that Eliquis is now available as an effective treatment option for DVT and PE,” said Douglas Manion, MD, Head of Specialty Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “Eliquis offers oral dosing, no routine coagulation testing, and does not require the use of a parenteral anticoagulant or bridging during initiation.”
  - See more at: http://www.hcplive.com/product-news/FDA-Approves-Eliquis-apixaban-for-the-Treatment-of-Deep-Vein-Thrombosis-and-Pulmonary-Embolism#sthash.v2fo89oO.dpuf
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer Inc. announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Eliquis (apixaban) for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). The FDA also approved an expanded use for Eliquis reducing the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy.

The full Prescribing Information for Eliquis includes Boxed Warnings for the increased risk of thrombotic events in patients who prematurely discontinue Eliquis; and for the increased risk of epidural or spinal hematoma, which may cause long-term or permanent paralysis, in patients using Eliquis and undergoing spinal epidural anesthesia or spinal puncture.

Eliquis increases the risk of bleeding and can cause serious, potentially fatal, bleeding.

Eliquis was approved for the treatment of DVT and PE, and for the reduction in the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy, based on data from the global AMPLIFY and AMPLIFY-EXT studies.

The AMPLIFY study, a randomized, double-blind trial, was designed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of Eliquis for the treatment of DVT and PE, and included patients with confirmed symptomatic DVT or PE (2,609 for Eliquis and 2,635 for standard of care, which was initial enoxaparin treatment for at least five days, overlapped by warfarin therapy [International Normalized Ratio (INR) range 2.0-3.0] orally for six months).

In the AMPLIFY study, Eliquis 10 mg twice daily for one week followed by 5 mg twice daily for six months demonstrated efficacy comparable to standard of care in treating DVT and PE patients for the primary efficacy composite endpoint of recurrent, symptomatic VTE, or VTE-related death (2.3% vs. 2.7%, relative risk, 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60 to 1.18; P-value<0.0001 for noninferiority).

Eliquis demonstrated superiority in the primary safety endpoint of major bleeding versus standard of care (0.6% vs. 1.8%, relative risk 0.31; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.55; P<0.0001 for superiority). Major bleeding was defined as clinically overt bleeding that was accompanied by one or more of the following: a decrease in the hemoglobin level of 2 g/dL or more; a transfusion of two or more units of packed red blood cells; bleeding that occurred in at least one of the following critical sites: intracranial, intraspinal, intraocular, pericardial, intra-articular, intramuscular with compartment syndrome, retroperitoneal; or bleeding that was fatal.

For the secondary safety endpoint in the AMPLIFY study, the event rates for clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (CRNM) were fewer in Eliquis-treated patients compared to standard of care-treated patients (3.9% vs. 8.0%). CRNM was defined as overt bleeding that did not meet the criteria for major bleeding but was associated with a medical intervention, contact with a physician, interruption of the study drug, or discomfort or impairment in carrying out daily activities.

In AMPLIFY, the discontinuation rate due to bleeding events was 0.7% in the Eliquis-treated patients compared to 1.7% in enoxaparin/warfarin-treated patients.

“We are pleased that Eliquis is now available as an effective treatment option for DVT and PE,” said Douglas Manion, MD, Head of Specialty Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “Eliquis offers oral dosing, no routine coagulation testing, and does not require the use of a parenteral anticoagulant or bridging during initiation.”
  - See more at: http://www.hcplive.com/product-news/FDA-Approves-Eliquis-apixaban-for-the-Treatment-of-Deep-Vein-Thrombosis-and-Pulmonary-Embolism#sthash.v2fo89oO.dpuf
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Pfizer Inc. announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Eliquis (apixaban) for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). The FDA also approved an expanded use for Eliquis reducing the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy.

The full Prescribing Information for Eliquis includes Boxed Warnings for the increased risk of thrombotic events in patients who prematurely discontinue Eliquis; and for the increased risk of epidural or spinal hematoma, which may cause long-term or permanent paralysis, in patients using Eliquis and undergoing spinal epidural anesthesia or spinal puncture.

Eliquis increases the risk of bleeding and can cause serious, potentially fatal, bleeding.

Eliquis was approved for the treatment of DVT and PE, and for the reduction in the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy, based on data from the global AMPLIFY and AMPLIFY-EXT studies.

The AMPLIFY study, a randomized, double-blind trial, was designed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of Eliquis for the treatment of DVT and PE, and included patients with confirmed symptomatic DVT or PE (2,609 for Eliquis and 2,635 for standard of care, which was initial enoxaparin treatment for at least five days, overlapped by warfarin therapy [International Normalized Ratio (INR) range 2.0-3.0] orally for six months).

In the AMPLIFY study, Eliquis 10 mg twice daily for one week followed by 5 mg twice daily for six months demonstrated efficacy comparable to standard of care in treating DVT and PE patients for the primary efficacy composite endpoint of recurrent, symptomatic VTE, or VTE-related death (2.3% vs. 2.7%, relative risk, 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60 to 1.18; P-value<0.0001 for noninferiority).

Eliquis demonstrated superiority in the primary safety endpoint of major bleeding versus standard of care (0.6% vs. 1.8%, relative risk 0.31; 95% CI, 0.17 to 0.55; P<0.0001 for superiority). Major bleeding was defined as clinically overt bleeding that was accompanied by one or more of the following: a decrease in the hemoglobin level of 2 g/dL or more; a transfusion of two or more units of packed red blood cells; bleeding that occurred in at least one of the following critical sites: intracranial, intraspinal, intraocular, pericardial, intra-articular, intramuscular with compartment syndrome, retroperitoneal; or bleeding that was fatal.

For the secondary safety endpoint in the AMPLIFY study, the event rates for clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (CRNM) were fewer in Eliquis-treated patients compared to standard of care-treated patients (3.9% vs. 8.0%). CRNM was defined as overt bleeding that did not meet the criteria for major bleeding but was associated with a medical intervention, contact with a physician, interruption of the study drug, or discomfort or impairment in carrying out daily activities.

In AMPLIFY, the discontinuation rate due to bleeding events was 0.7% in the Eliquis-treated patients compared to 1.7% in enoxaparin/warfarin-treated patients.

“We are pleased that Eliquis is now available as an effective treatment option for DVT and PE,” said Douglas Manion, MD, Head of Specialty Development, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “Eliquis offers oral dosing, no routine coagulation testing, and does not require the use of a parenteral anticoagulant or bridging during initiation.”
  - See more at: http://www.hcplive.com/product-news/FDA-Approves-Eliquis-apixaban-for-the-Treatment-of-Deep-Vein-Thrombosis-and-Pulmonary-Embolism#sthash.v2fo89oO.dpuf

FDA Approves Arnuity Ellipta

FDA Approves Arnuity Ellipta (fluticasone furoate) for the Treatment of Asthma
20 August 2014 -- GlaxoSmithKline plc today announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved Arnuity™ Ellipta® (fluticasone furoate inhalation powder), a once-daily inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) medicine for maintenance treatment of asthma as prophylactic therapy in patients aged 12 years and older. Arnuity is not indicated for relief of acute bronchospasm.
The approved doses are Arnuity Ellipta 100mcg and 200mcg. Arnuity Ellipta is administered once daily via the dry powder inhaler called Ellipta, which is also used across a range of other approved respiratory medicines in the GSK portfolio.
http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/fda-approves-arnuity-ellipta-fluticasone-furoate-asthma-4074.html?utm_source=ddc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Today%27s+news+summary+-+August+21%2C+2014

GlaxoSmithKline’s inhaled corticosteroid Arnuity Ellipta (fluticasone furoate) has been granted approval by the US Food and Drug Administration.
 
The once-daily inhaler can now be prescribed for maintenance treatment of asthma, as prophylactic therapy in patients aged 12 years and older, but it is not meant to be used for relief of acute bronchospasm.
 
The decision, which comes on the back of clinical trial data involving more than 3,600 patients, sees Arnuity Ellipta become the first asthma treatment from GSK’s new portfolio to have gain entry to the all important US market.
 
Around 26 million people in the US currently have asthma, and, despite medical advances, more than half of patients continue to experience poor control and significant symptoms, notes the UK drug giant, highlighting the room for new and effective therapies to help control the disease.
 
GSK's dry powder inhaler Ellipta is being used to deliver a variety of therapies for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease around the globe. 

Wednesday 20 August 2014

Glenmark enters Oncology with the Discovery and the Initiation of IND enabling Studies of an innovative bispecific Antibody





August 20, 2014: Glenmark Pharmaceuticals S.A. (GPSA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited India (GPL), announces the discovery and initiation of IND enabling studies of a novel clinical development candidate, GBR 1302, a HER2xCD3 bispecific antibody. GBR 1302 was discovered and developed by the Glenmark Biologics Research Centre located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. GBR 1302 is based on Glenmark’s innovative BEAT antibody technology platform which facilitates the efficient development and manufacture of antibodies with dual specificities, so-called bispecific antibodies. GBR 1302 is the first clinical development candidate based on the BEAT technology. Glenmark expects to obtain approval for the initiation of clinical studies during this financial year.


·GBR 1302 is the first bispecific antibody based on Glenmark’s proprietary BEAT platform

·         GBR 1302 is Glenmark’s first clinical candidate targeting oncology indications

 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals announced the discovery and initiation of IND enabling studies of a novel clinical development candidate, GBR 1302, a HER2xCD3 bispecific antibody. GBR 1302 was discovered and developed by the Glenmark Biologics Research Centre located in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. GBR 1302 is based on Glenmark's innovative BEAT antibody technology platform which facilitates the efficiend development and manufacture of antibodies with dual specificities, so-called bispecific antibodies. GBR 1302 is the first clinical development candidate based on the BEAT technology.Glenmark expect to obtain approval for the initiation of clinical studies during this financial year.

read at
http://www.sharekhan.com/stock-market/news/Glenmark-enters-Oncology-with-the-Discov/879A76C4-601D-40F7-B402-BCD9BACED8E3/MustKnowNews/161/News.htm

FDA approves new drug Cerdelga (eliglustat) to treat a form of Gaucher disease


August 19, 2014

Release

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Cerdelga (eliglustat) for the long-term treatment of adult patients with the Type 1 form of Gaucher disease, a rare genetic disorder.
Gaucher disease occurs in people who do not produce enough of an enzyme called glucocerebrosidase. The enzyme deficiency causes fatty materials to collect in the spleen, liver and bone marrow. The major signs of Gaucher disease include liver and spleen enlargement, low red blood cell counts (anemia), low blood platelet counts and bone problems.
Cerdelga is a hard gelatin capsule containing eliglustat that is taken orally. In patients with Gaucher disease Type 1, the drug slows down the production of the fatty materials by inhibiting the metabolic process that forms them. Type 1 Gaucher disease is estimated to affect about 6,000 people in the United States.
“Today’s approval offers another important treatment option for patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease,” said Amy G. Egan, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director of the Office of Drug Evaluation III in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “In addition, Cerdelga received orphan drug designation from the FDA, reflecting the agency’s focus and commitment to the development of treatments for rare diseases.”
The safety and effectiveness of Cerdelga were evaluated in two clinical trials with 199 participants with Type 1 Gaucher disease.
In one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial the safety and effectiveness of Cerdelga were evaluated in 40 participants with Type 1 Gaucher’s disease who had not previously received enzyme replacement therapy. Subjects received the drug at a starting dose of 42 mg two times a day, with most receiving a dose of 84 mg two times a day after four weeks. Study participants continued the drug for nine months.
Compared to placebo, treatment with Cerdelga resulted in a greater reduction in spleen volume from baseline to the end of the study (by the 39th week), the trial’s primary endpoint. Cerdelga also resulted in greater improvement in liver volume, blood platelet count, and red blood cell (hemoglobin) level, compared to placebo.
The other trial sought to determine the safety and effectiveness of Cerdelga compared to enzyme replacement therapy in 159 participants with Type 1 Gaucher disease previously treated and stabilized on enzyme replacement therapy. Subjects in the trial received either the enzyme replacement therapy drug imiglucerase or Cerdelga. The trial demonstrated that treatment with Cerdelga resulted in similar stabilization of hemoglobin level, platelet count and spleen and liver volume as imiglucerase.
The most commonly observed side effects in the Cerdelga clinical trials were fatigue, headache, nausea, diarrhea, back pain, pain in extremities, and upper abdominal pain.
Cerdelga is manufactured by Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Genzyme.

















































read synthesis at
http://newdrugapprovals.org/2013/12/14/the-us-food-and-drug-administration-fda-has-granted-a-six-month-priority-review-designation-to-genzymes-new-drug-application-nda-for-cerdelga-eliglustat/

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Dissolution properties, solid-state transformation and polymorphic crystallization: progesterone case study

Progesteron.svg
 Progesterone is a natural steroid hormone and a poor soluble drug which presents two polymorphs (forms 1 and 2). Different methods to obtain form 2 were tested and a complete solid-state characterization of both polymorphs (forms 1 and 2) was conducted. X-ray powder diffraction, hot stage microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, dispersive Raman, 13C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy techniques and intrinsic dissolution rates (IDR) were applied to investigate physical–chemical and dissolution properties of these two polymorphs. Form 2 was obtained from diluted solutions and from melting after cooling at room temperature. Form 1 was obtained from concentrated solutions and, a mixture of both polymorphs was crystallized from intermediate solutions. The crystal habit was not a distinctive characteristic of each polymorph. The effect of mechanical stress was evaluated in the metastable polymorph (form 2). We observed that grinding form 2 produced seeds of form 1 that induced the transformation of form 2 into form 1 at high temperature. The polymorphic quantification from XRD patterns of ground samples were carried out by the Rietveld method. After grinding and at room temperature conditions (∼25 °C), it was observed the transformation of 17% of form 2 into form 1 in 10 days.


Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10837450.2013.829096



Drug-drug co-crystals.

Figure 1
Representation of drug-drug co-crystal and combination drug.
 
 
 
 
Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are most conveniently developed and delivered orally as solid dosage forms that contain a defined crystalline form of an API. Co-crystal is a crystalline entity formed by two different or more molecular entities where the intermolecular interactions are weak forces like hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking. Co-crystals are an enabling technology that is used in new or existing drug delivery systems by majority of pharmaceutical companies in formulation and drug development.
 
 read all at
 

Saturday 16 August 2014

Traditional medicine-inspired approaches to drug discovery: can Ayurveda show the way forward?

Traditional medicine-inspired approaches to drug discovery: can Ayurveda show the way forward?

B Patwardhan, RA Mashelkar - Drug discovery today, 2009 - Elsevier
Drug discovery strategies based on natural products and traditional medicines are re-
emerging as attractive options. We suggest that drug discovery and development need not
always be confined to new molecular entities. Rationally designed, carefully standardized, ...

download a pdf file

Drug discovery strategies based on natural products and traditional medicines are re-emerging as attractive options. We suggest that drug discovery and development need not always be confined to new molecular entities. Rationally designed, carefully standardized, synergistic traditional herbal formulations and botanical drug products with robust scientific evidence can also be alternatives. A reverse pharmacology approach, inspired by traditional medicine and Ayurveda, can offer a smart strategy for new drug candidates to facilitate discovery process and also for the development of rational synergistic botanical formulations.








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http://repository.ias.ac.in/22146/1/342.pdf  pdf for noncommercial use
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359644609001767