Keytruda's Urothelial Cancer Claim Goes From Accelerated To Full Approval, With More Limited Scope

US FDA showed some regulatory flexibility by relying on longer-term follow-up from Merck’s original single-arm trial, rather than additional confirmatory studies, to retain the first-line claim, but it narrowed the target population to those with the greatest unmet need; Keytruda indication was one of six 'dangling' accelerated approvals re-examined by Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee in April.

Narrow opening
FDA has narrowed the first-line urothelial carcinoma population for Keytruda. • Source: Alamy

The US Food and Drug Administration opted to rely on longer-term follow-up from Merck & Co., Inc.’s original single-arm trial, rather than additional confirmatory studies, as the basis for converting Keytruda’s (pembrolizumab) accelerated approval in first-line urothelial carcinoma to regular approval.

In the process, the agency narrowed the indication to those patients with the greatest unmet needed.

Pink Sheet Podcast

Learn what's happening at the US FDA. On the go.

Derrick Gingery and the team bring you a weekly "Drug Fix".

More from Approvals

EU Biosimilar Filings, Opinions And Approvals

 
• By 

<p>Executive Summary</p> <p>A list of EU biosimilar filings, CHMP opinions and EU marketing authorizations, including details of the biosimilar company, the brand name/INN, indication(s), the reference product/company, and the date and type of event.</p>

New EU Approvals

<p>Executive Summary<p> <p>The Pink Sheet's list of EU centralized approvals of new active substances has been updated to add six new products, incl/ding Ixchiq, Valneva's chikungunya virus vaccine</p>

EU Biosimilar Filings, Opinions And Approvals

 
• By 

<p>Executive Summary</p> <p>A list of EU biosimilar filings, CHMP opinions and EU marketing authorizations, including details of the biosimilar company, the brand name/INN, indication(s), the reference product/company, and the date and type of event.</p>

More from Product Reviews

data

New EU Filings

 
• By 

<p>Executive Summary</p> <p>Zanidatamab, Jazz and BeiGene’s investigational treatment for biliary tract cancer, is among the latest products that have been filed for review by the European Medicines Agency for potential EU marketing approval.</p>

data

EU CHMP Opinions And MAA Updates

 
• By 

<p>Executive Summary</p> This is an update of recommendations from the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use on the authorization of new medicines in the EU, and updates on EU marketing authorization changes recommended by the CHMP.

EU Biosimilar Filings, Opinions And Approvals

 
• By 

<p>Executive Summary</p> <p>A list of EU biosimilar filings, CHMP opinions and EU marketing authorizations, including details of the biosimilar company, the brand name/INN, indication(s), the reference product/company, and the date and type of event.</p>