The European Medicines Agency review of vemurafenib (Zelboraf®) for the treatment of adult patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma: summary of the scientific assessment of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

The applicant company Roche Registration Ltd. submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) an application for marketing authorisation for vemurafenib. Vemurafenib is a low molecular weight, orally available, inhibitor of oncogenic V600 BRAF serine-threonine kinase. Mutations in the BRAF gene which substitute the valine at amino acid position 600 constitutively activate BRAF proteins, which will drive cell proliferation in the absence of growth factors. Results from a phase 3 trial (N=675) comparing vemurafenib 960 mg twice daily (taken either with or without food) to standard treatment dacarbazine (DTIC) in patients with BRAF V600E mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma were submitted. The study met its primary efficacy objective after an interim analysis of overall survival. Patients were allowed to cross-over to the experimental arm following disclosure of the study results after the first interim analysis. In the update of the analysis, the median overall survival (OS) was 9.9 months versus 13.2 months for DTIC and vemurafenib, respectively (HR=0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54, 0.84; cut-off 3 October 2011). Based on the updated analysis, the CHMP concluded that a survival benefit over DTIC had been convincingly demonstrated, in the overall population. The follow-up was considered sufficiently mature with close to 50% of the events observed. The most common side effects (affecting more than 30% of patients) in vemurafenib treated patients included arthralgia, fatigue, rash, photosensitivity reaction, nausea, alopecia and pruritus. Some patients treated with vemurafenib developed cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma which was readily treated by local surgery. The objective of this paper is to summarise the scientific review of the application leading to regulatory approval in the European Union (EU). The full scientific assessment report and product information, including the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC), are available on the EMA website (www.ema.europa.eu).

DSM-5 and clinical trials in psychiatry: challenges to come?

The publication of the fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013 raises important questions for clinical trials and associated regulatory decisions on new drugs for psychiatric disorders.

The European Medicines Agency review of ipilimumab (Yervoy) for the treatment of advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma in adults who have received prior therapy: summary of the scientific assessment of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

On 13 July 2011 the European Commission issued a marketing authorisation valid throughout the European Union (EU) for ipilimumab for the treatment of advanced (unresectable or metastatic) melanoma in adults who have received prior therapy. Ipilimumab is a monoclonal antibody that specifically blocks the inhibitory signal of cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), resulting in T cell activation, proliferation and lymphocyte infiltration into tumours, leading to tumour cell death. The recommended induction regimen of ipilimumab is 3mg/kg administered intravenously over a 90 min period every 3 weeks for a total of four doses. In a phase 3 trial in patients with advanced melanoma, median overall survival for ipilimumab was 10 months versus 6 months for gp100, an experimental melanoma vaccine (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.66; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.51, 0.87; p = 0.0026). Ipilimumab was most commonly associated with adverse reactions resulting from increased or excessive immune activity. Most of these, including severe reactions, resolved following initiation of appropriate medical therapy or withdrawal of ipilimumab. The most common side-effects (affecting more than 10% of patients) were diarrhoea, rash, pruritus, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite and abdominal pain. The objective of this paper is to summarise the scientific review of the application leading to approval in the EU. The detailed scientific assessment report and product information, including the summary of product characteristics (SmPC), are available on the European Medicines Agency (EMA) website (www.ema.europa.eu).

The European Medicines Agency review of Tegafur/Gimeracil/Oteracil (Teysuno™) for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer when given in combination with cisplatin: summary of the Scientific Assessment of the Committee for medicinal products for human use (CHMP).

The product Teysuno™ (S-1) contains tegafur, a prodrug of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and two modulators of 5-FU metabolism, gimeracil and oteracil. The main clinical study in this application was a randomized controlled study comparing S-1 plus cisplatin with 5-FU plus cisplatin. In this study, median overall survival times of 8.6 months and 7.9 months for S-1 plus cisplatin and 5-FU plus cisplatin, respectively, were observed (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.05). The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency concluded that S-1 in combination with cisplatin (75 mg/m²) was noninferior to 5-FU plus cisplatin (100 mg/m²) in patients with advanced gastric cancer and adopted a positive opinion recommending the marketing authorization for this product for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer when given in combination with cisplatin. The recommended dose of S-1 is 25 mg/m² (expressed as tegafur content) twice a day, for 21 consecutive days followed by 7 days rest (one treatment cycle), in combination with 75 mg/m² cisplatin i.v. administered on day 1. This treatment cycle is repeated every 4 weeks. The most common side effects reported in the pivotal study were anemia, neutropenia, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight decrease, anorexia, and fatigue. The objective of this paper is to summarize the scientific review of the application leading to approval in the EU. The full scientific assessment report and the summary of product characteristics are available on the European Medicines Agency website (http://www.ema.europa.eu).

The European Medicines Agency review of pazopanib for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma: summary of the scientific assessment of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

On June 14, 2010, the European Commission issued a conditional marketing authorization valid throughout the European Union for pazopanib for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma. Pazopanib is an antineoplastic agent that inhibits multiple receptor tyrosine kinases. The recommended oral dose is 800 mg once daily. The benefit of pazopanib is an increased progression-free survival. In the pivotal trial VEG105192, the median progression-free survival was 9.2 months (95% confidence interval, 7.4-12.9) in the pazopanib arm compared with 4.2 months (95% confidence interval, 2.8-4.2) in the placebo arm. The most common side effects include diarrhea, hair color change, hypertension, nausea, fatigue, anorexia, vomiting, dysgeusia, elevated alanine aminotransferase, elevated aspartate aminotransferase, and abdominal pain. The objective of this article is to summarize the scientific review of the application that led to approval in the European Union.

Antipsychotics in children and adolescents: increasing use, evidence for efficacy and safety concerns.

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) are increasingly used to treat children and adolescents. The European College of Neuro-psychopharmacology convened an expert panel to review relevant efficacy and safety data, and identify needs for further research. Controlled studies support the short-term efficacy of several SGA for treating psychosis, mania, and aggression within certain diagnostic categories. Except for clozapine, no clinically significant superiority in efficacy has been demonstrated for any specific antipsychotic, including both first- and second-generation agents, in children and adolescents. Major differences exist, however, with respect to type and severity of adverse effects; therefore the choice of treatment is primarily guided by tolerability and safety considerations. Children appear to be at higher risk than adults for a number of adverse effects, such as extrapyramidal symptoms and metabolic and endocrine abnormalities. While the safety profile during acute and intermediate treatment has been evaluated, the distal benefit/risk ratio during long-term treatment remains to be determined. Research is also needed to understand the mechanisms underlying antipsychotic-induced toxicities in order to develop effective preventive and treatment strategies.

A regulatory Apologia--a review of placebo-controlled studies in regulatory submissions of new-generation antidepressants.

Data on percentage of patients experiencing a relevant response (>50% reduction of the baseline Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) score), average baseline severity and sample size were retrieved for all placebo-controlled studies in regulatory submissions of SSRIs and SNRIs between 1984 and 2003. Overall there was 16%-units (95% CI: 12; 20) more responders on active drug compared to placebo. There was no evidence of a diminishing magnitude of effect with lower severity at baseline. With one exception significant differences varying between 13.5 and 19.3%-units were demonstrated for the individual antidepressants. Statistically significant mean differences versus placebo in change in HAMD are not a proper basis for evaluation of clinical relevance and are not sufficient for approval. Differences in the percentage of patients experiencing a clinically relevant response should also be demonstrated. In this respect, the approved SSRIs and SNRIs were found superior to placebo, independent of severity of depression.

Child and adolescent psychopharmacology in the new millennium: a workshop for academia, industry, and government.

OBJECTIVE: To give academic researchers, government officials, and industry scientists an opportunity to assess the state of pediatric psychopharmacology and identify challenges facing professionals in the field. METHOD: Increased federal spending and the introduction of pediatric exclusivity led to large increases in pediatric psychopharmacology research in the 1990s. Despite the increase in research, concerns exist about methods and incentives for making new medications available for use in pediatric psychiatric disorders. In recognition of these concerns, the Duke Clinical Research Institute held a roundtable in September 2004. Participants from the National Institutes of Health, regulatory agencies, academia, and the pharmaceutical industry spoke about the effects of government regulations such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act and the Pediatric Research Equity Act on pediatric research from academic, clinical, and industry perspectives, and bioethical considerations of such research. CONCLUSIONS: To ensure development of new drugs for treating psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents, we must address the challenges posed by the regulatory environment governing pediatric psychopharmacology research. Strategies were identified for improving the evidence base for psychopharmacologic interventions in youth before widespread use and for more effectively defining a research agenda for the future.

Placebo-controlled trials and the Declaration of Helsinki.

A revised version of the Declaration of Helsinki, issued in October, 2000, remains a vital expression of medical ethics, and deserves unanimous support. A strict interpretation of the declaration seems to rule out clinical trials that use a placebo control group whenever licensed therapeutic methods already exist, preferring active controls. Although the efficacy of some new medicines can be satisfactorily established without the use of a placebo, for others the judicious use of placebo remains essential to establish their effectiveness.