Europe – EMA accepts application for leukaemia drug from Otsuka and Astex

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Astex Pharmaceuticals’ marketing authorisation application (MAA) for an oral fixed-dose combination of decitabine and cedazuridine (ASTX727) for the initial treatment of adults with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) who are not candidates for standard induction chemotherapy.

The application is supported by positive results from the phase 3 ASCERTAIN clinical trial which demonstrated an exposure equivalence of an oral fixed-dose of decitabine and cedazuridine to a standard 5-day regimen of intravenous (IV) decitabine – the current standard of care for AML – using a two-cycle cross-over study design.

Safety findings for the fixed-dose combination of decitabine and cedazuridine were ‘generally consistent’ with those anticipated for IV decitabine, Otsuka reported…