Benzinga | Sep 22, 2021 12:38PM EDT

Incyte Announces FDA Of Jakafi For Treatment Of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Diseases

Incyte (NASDAQ:INCY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Jakafi(r) (ruxolitinib) for treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after failure of one or twoIncyte (NASDAQ:INCY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Jakafi(r) (ruxolitinib) for treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after failure of one or two lines of systemic therapy in adult and pediatric patients 12 years and older.

"GVHD is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients following an allogeneic stem cell transplant, yet there historically have been limited treatment options available beyond first-line systemic therapies," stated Steven Stein, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Incyte. "Incyte is proud to have contributed to the overall scientific understanding of GVHD through our REACH program, which has led to important treatment advances on behalf of patients and the medical community, including today's approval of Jakafi for certain people who develop chronic GVHD."

The FDA approval was based on the REACH3 study, a Phase 3, randomized, open-label, multicenter study of Jakafi in comparison to best available therapy (BAT) for treatment of steroid-refractory chronic GVHD after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The primary endpoint of overall response rate (ORR) at Week 24 (i.e., Cycle 7 Day 1) was 49.7% for Jakafi compared to 25.6% for BAT (P<0.0001)1. Furthermore, the ORR through Cycle 7 Day 1 was 70% for Jakafi compared to 57% for BAT2. The most common hematologic adverse reactions (incidence > 35%) were anemia and thrombocytopenia. The most common nonhematologic adverse reactions (incidence ? 20%) were infections (pathogen not specified) and viral infection. Full results from the REACH3 study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

"Nearly half of the people who develop chronic GVHD do not respond adequately to steroids -- the current standard of care -- making this life-threatening condition particularly challenging to treat," said Dr. Robert Zeiser, University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Freiburg, Germany, the principal investigator of the REACH3 trial. "In this clinical trial, treatment with Jakafi demonstrated significantly improved outcomes across a range of efficacy measures compared to best available therapy. This approval represents a significant advancement in the treatment of appropriate patients with chronic GVHD -- for both the patients who face a poor prognosis and the healthcare providers who struggle to effectively treat them."

GVHD is a condition that can occur after an allogeneic stem cell transplant (the transfer of stem cells from a donor) in which the donated cells initiate an immune response and attack the transplant recipient's organs. There are two major forms of GVHD: acute, which generally occurs within 100 days of transplant, and chronic, which generally occurs more than 100 days after transplant3. Both forms are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and can affect multiple organ systems.

"In the U.S., there are over 14,000 people living with chronic GVHD, many of whom face significant complications that may impair daily activities and linger for years," said Susan Stewart, Executive Director, BMT InfoNet. "The approval of Jakafi is an exciting development for the GVHD community and an important step forward in the treatment of a disease with few options."

Jakafi's supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) in chronic GHVD was reviewed under the FDA's Priority Review program as well as the Project Orbis program, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among its international partners. Participating countries for this application include Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Incyte is committed to supporting patients and removing barriers to access medicines. Eligible patients in the U.S. who are prescribed Jakafi have access to IncyteCARES (Connecting to Access, Reimbursement, Education and Support), a comprehensive program offering patient support, including financial assistance and ongoing education and resources to eligible patients. More information about IncyteCARES is available by visiting www.incytecares.com or calling 1-855-452-5234.