EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) Feb meeting highlights

The European Medicines Agency (EMA)’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended 13 medicines for approval at its February 2022 meeting.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) positively reviewed Kimmtrak (tebentafusp) for the treatment of the eye cancer, uveal melanoma, under EMA’s accelerated assessment programme.

PreHevbri (Hepatitis B vaccine [recombinant, adsorbed]) was granted a positive opinion for the active immunisation against hepatitis B virus infection.

A positive opinion was adopted for Kapruvia (difelikefalin) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease.

Orgovyx (relugolix) received a positive opinion from the CHMP for the treatment of prostate cancer.

The committee gave a positive opinion for Quviviq (daridorexant) for the treatment of insomnia.

A positive opinion was adopted for Vydura (rimegepant) for the prophylaxis and acute treatment of migraine.

Two biosimilar medicines were recommended for approval: Inpremzia (insulin human (rDNA)) and Truvelog Mix 30 (insulin aspart), both for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Five generic medicines received a positive opinion from the Committee, specifically: Dimethyl fumarate Mylan (dimethyl fumarate), Dimethyl fumarate Neuraxpharm (dimethyl fumarate) and Dimethyl fumarate Polpharma (dimethyl fumarate), all for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. Amversio (betaine anhydrous) also received a positive opinion from CHMP for the treatment of homocystinuria; and Sitagliptin Accord (sitagliptin) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Recommendations on extensions of therapeutic indication 

The Committee recommended a total of nine extensions of indication for medicines that are already authorised in the European Union (EU). These include Beovu, Delstrigo, Pifeltro, Verzenios and Yervoy, as well as Opdivo, for which the CHMP adopted three therapeutic extensions. It also includes an extension of the use of the COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax to children from 6-11 years of age.

Re-examinations

Following a re-examination, the CHMP confirmed its original recommendation to refuse the granting of a marketing authorisation for Ipique (bevacizumab). This medicine was intended to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration.

The applicant for Aduhelm (aducanumab), intended for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, requested a re-examination of the Committee’s December 2021 opinion not to grant a marketing authorisation, and the marketing authorisation holder for Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) requested a re-examination of EMA’s January 2022 opinion. The re-examination procedures for both medicines will start upon receipt of the grounds for the requests, at the end of which EMA will issue a final recommendation.

Readopted opinion

The committee adopted a revised opinion for Padcev (enfortumab vedotin) after further safety information emerged during the decision-making process. Following a request from the European Commission, the CHMP readopted its opinion, taking into account the latest information.

COVID-19 updates

The CHMP recommended that a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty (tozinameran) may be given, where appropriate, to adolescents from 12 years of age. 

The committee recommended granting an extension of indication for Spikevax (COVID-19 mRNA vaccine [nucleoside-modified]) to include the use of this COVID-19 vaccine in children aged six to 11. 

The CHMP also recommended including the use of Spikevax as a booster dose in people who have previously completed a primary vaccination with another mRNA vaccine or an adenoviral vector vaccine.

An increase in manufacturing capacity for COVID-19 vaccine Spikevax was approved by the CHMP.