April 15, 2024

Fasenra Pediatric Asthma Expansion, Xcopri New Delivery Methods, New MRD Endpoint for Myeloma, Mpox PCR Test Home Collection Kit, Dovato for Adolescents With HIV

8 minutes

Visit nascentmc.com/podcast for full show notes.

- The FDA has expanded the approval of benralizumab (Fasenra) to include children aged 6 to 11 with severe eosinophilic asthma, building on its previous approval for patients aged 12 and older. Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets and reduces eosinophilic inflammation, crucial in the severe asthma pathway. This approval was supported by the Phase 3 TATE study, which confirmed that the drug's effects in younger children were consistent with those seen in older patients.

- The FDA has approved new administration methods for cenobamate (Xcopri), allowing the tablets to be crushed for oral suspension or delivered via nasogastric tube for adults with partial-onset seizures. Cenobamate, initially approved in 2019, works by inhibiting neuronal firing and modulating the GABA ion channel. The approval follows a study confirming that these new methods are bioequivalent to the original oral intake of intact tablets.

- The FDA's advisory committee has recommended adopting minimal residual disease (MRD) as a new endpoint for the accelerated approval of multiple myeloma treatments. This recommendation is based on the EVIDENCE study, which highlighted MRD's ability to detect very low levels of disease, offering a quicker and more sensitive measure of treatment efficacy. If adopted, MRD could allow for faster approvals and potentially better patient outcomes in multiple myeloma.

- Labcorp's Mpox PCR Test Home Collection Kit has received FDA Emergency Use Authorization for diagnosing mpox in adults, marking the first at-home collection kit for this purpose. The kit uses PCR technology to detect the virus from lesion swabs collected by patients at home. This development comes in response to rising mpox cases and aims to improve accessible diagnostic options during public health emergencies.

- The FDA has approved the use of dolutegravir/lamivudine (Dovato) for HIV treatment in adolescents, making it the first oral, two-drug, single-tablet regimen for this age group. The combination targets crucial steps in the HIV replication process and aims to simplify lifelong treatment regimens, enhancing adherence. Approval was based on the DANCE study's findings, which demonstrated effective viral suppression in adolescents, consistent with adult data.

Vist LearnAMAStyle.com for several essential tip sheets that you can download as well as a free course on using AI in medical writing, and an AMA style quiz to test your knowledge

...more

View all episodes

By Emma Hitt Nichols, PhD