WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 01, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TESARO, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSRO), an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has completed the niraparib rolling New Drug Application (NDA) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the maintenance treatment of patients with platinum-sensitive, recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in response to platinum-based chemotherapy.
The niraparib NDA is supported by data from the ENGOT-OV16/NOVA trial, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, international Phase 3 study that enrolled 553 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer who were in response to their most recent platinum-based chemotherapy. This trial was designed to assess progression free survival (PFS) in patients who were assigned to one of two cohorts based upon germline BRCA mutation status, as determined by the Myriad BRACAnalysis CDx® test. Within the cohort of patients who were not germline BRCA mutation carriers (non-gBRCAmut), tumor samples were assessed for HRD status using the Myriad myChoice® HRD test.
The ENGOT-OV16/NOVA trial successfully achieved its primary endpoint in both patient cohorts, demonstrating that niraparib treatment significantly prolonged PFS compared to control. The full results of the ENGOT-OV16/NOVA trial were presented in detail at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2016 Congress in Copenhagen on October 8, 2016 and were published simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine. Based upon the results of this trial, the indication proposed in the NDA provides for the use of niraparib regardless of tumor biomarker status, and it is anticipated that the BRACAnalysis® CDx and myChoice® HRD tests would be available to physicians as complementary diagnostics.
“TESARO is working daily to benefit the many women living with ovarian cancer,” said Mary Lynne Hedley, Ph.D., President and COO of TESARO. “Our niraparib NDA and MAA submissions represent a significant step in our efforts to bring meaningful therapies to these patients.”
About Niraparib
Niraparib is an oral, once-daily PARP inhibitor that is currently being evaluated in three pivotal trials. TESARO is building a robust niraparib franchise by assessing activity across multiple tumor types and by evaluating several potential combinations of niraparib with other therapeutics. The ongoing development program for niraparib includes a Phase 3 trial in patients with first-line ovarian cancer (the PRIMA trial), a registrational Phase 2 treatment trial in patients with ovarian cancer (the QUADRA trial), and a Phase 3 trial for the treatment of patients with germline BRCA-mutated, metastatic breast cancer (the BRAVO trial). Several combination studies are also underway, including trials of niraparib plus pembrolizumab and niraparib plus bevacizumab. Janssen Biotech has licensed rights to develop and commercialize niraparib specifically for patients with prostate cancer worldwide, except in Japan.
In September, the FDA granted Fast Track designation to niraparib. The FDA Fast Track designation is designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of medicines that are intended to treat serious conditions and address unmet medical needs. As part of the Fast Track program, the FDA allows for the submission of completed portions of an NDA on an ongoing or rolling basis.
Niraparib is an investigational agent and, as such, has not been approved by the U.S. FDA, European Medicines Agency (EMA), or any other regulatory agencies.
The most common (≥10%) treatment-emergent grade 3/4 adverse events in the niraparib arm were thrombocytopenia (33.8%), anemia (25.3%), and neutropenia (19.6%) with treatment discontinuation for these events of 3.3%, 1.4% and 1.9%, respectively. Thrombocytopenia was not associated with grade 3/4 bleeding events. The majority of these hematological laboratory abnormalities occurred within the first three cycles; following dose modifications the incidence of these lab abnormalities decreased and thrombocytopenia and neutropenia were infrequent beyond cycle 3. The rates of MDS/AML in the niraparib (1.4%) and control (1.1%) arms were similar. There were no deaths among patients during study treatment.
About Ovarian Cancer
Approximately 22,000 women are diagnosed each year with ovarian cancer in the United States, and more than 65,000 women are diagnosed annually in Europe. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most frequent cause of cancer death among women. Despite high response rates to platinum-based chemotherapy in the second-line advanced treatment setting, approximately 85% of patients will experience recurrence within two years. If approved, niraparib may address the difficult “watchful waiting” periods experienced by patients with recurrent ovarian cancer in between cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy.
About TESARO
TESARO is an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company devoted to providing transformative therapies to people bravely facing cancer. For more information, visit www.tesarobio.com, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
To the extent that statements contained in this press release are not descriptions of historical facts regarding TESARO, they are forward-looking statements reflecting the current beliefs and expectations of management made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions, or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release, including statements regarding the potential indication for niraparib and the potential complementary use of the Myriad myChoice® HRD test and BRACAnalysis CDx® in connection with niraparib, involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause future results, performance, or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to our intellectual property, the uncertainties inherent in the execution and completion of clinical trials, risks regarding ongoing discussions with and actions by regulatory authorities, including the FDA, uncertainties regarding regulatory approvals, and other matters that could affect the ultimate approval and indication for niraparib. TESARO undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of the Company in general, see TESARO's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016.