
FDA Approves Iptacopan, Marking First Oral Monotherapy for Adults With PNH
Iptacopan, the first oral monotherapy for patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), is now an FDA-approved option for improving hemoglobin levels.
Iptacopan (Fabhalta) was granted approval by the FDA on December 5 for the treatment of
“The US approval of Fabhalta is an extraordinary moment for people living with PNH, their loved ones, and the health care providers who care for them,” Victor Bultó, US president of Novartis, in a
PNH is a rare blood disorder that makes red blood cells (RBCs) vulnerable to destruction earlier than normal. Bone marrow failure, thrombosis, and hemolysis are all symptoms of PNH and can differ in severity across patients. More than one-third of patients need transfusions of blood at least once each year and 88% can have persistent anemia when they are on anti-C5 treatment.
Iptacopan works as a factor B inhibitor that provides control of RBC destruction inside and outside blood vessels, and it has been tested in several clinical trials. Earlier this year, the results of the phase 3 APPOINT-PNH trial were presented at
Both the APPOINT-PNH trial and the phase 3 APPLY-PNH trial results formed the basis of the FDA approval. The APPLY-PNH trial enrolled patients with residual anemia who had hemoglobin levels below 10 g/dL despite prior treatment. The trial found that 82.3% of patients who had used anti-C5 treatment in the past had sustained increases of hemoglobin levels of 2 g/dL or more from baseline when using iptacopan compared with 0% in patients who did not use iptacopan. A total of 67.7% of patients using iptacopan had sustained hemoglobin levels of at least 12 g/dL compared with 0% of those using anti-C5 treatment. A total of 95.2% of patients who switched from anti-C5 therapy were able to avoid transfusion compared with 45.7% in patients who continued to use anti-C5 therapy.
Adverse reactions with iptacopan reported in the APPLY-PNH trial included headache (19%), nasopharyngitis (16%), diarrhea (15%), abdominal pain (15%), nausea (10%), bacterial infection (11%), and viral infections (10%). The APPOINT-PNH trial had similar reported adverse reactions, including headache (28%), nasopharyngitis (15%), viral infection (18%), and rash (10%). Patients reported serious adverse reactions in a total of 4 cases across the 2 trials.
Novartis expects that the medication will be available in the United States this month. Approvals in countries around the world are still ongoing.
References
- Novartis receives FDA approval for Fabhalta® (iptacopan), offering superior hemoglobin improvement in the absence of transfusions as the first oral monotherapy for adults with PNH. News release. Novartis. December 6, 2023. Accessed December 6, 2023. https://www.novartis.com/news/media-releases/novartis-receives-fda-approval-fabhalta-iptacopan-offering-superior-hemoglobin-improvement-absence-transfusions-first-oral-monotherapy-adults-pnh
- Seymour C. Iptacopan meets primary end point of APPOINT-PNH trial in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. OncLive. April 26, 2023. Accessed December 6, 2023. https://www.onclive.com/view/iptacopan-meets-primary-end-point-in-appoint-pnh-trial-in-paroxysmal-nocturnal-hemoglobinuria
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