Photo by Bill Branson
Child with cancer
The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended changing the terms of marketing authorization for fosaprepitant (Ivemend).
The product is already approved in the European Union (EU) for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with moderately or highly emetogenic cancer chemotherapy in adults.
Now, the CHMP is recommending that fosaprepitant be authorized for the same indication in pediatric patients age 6 months and older.
As it is in adults, fosaprepitant would be given to children as part of combination therapy.
The CHMP’s opinion on fosaprepitant will be reviewed by the European Commission (EC).
If the EC agrees with the CHMP, the commission will grant a centralized marketing authorization that will be valid in the EU. Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein will make corresponding decisions on the basis of the EC’s decision.
The EC typically makes a decision within 67 days of the CHMP’s recommendation.
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., the company developing fosaprepitant, has conducted a phase 2 trial assessing the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability of fosaprepitant for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in children.
Patients ages 2 to 17 were randomized to receive 1 of 4 doses of fosaprepitant (0.4 mg/kg, 1.2 mg/kg, 3 mg/kg, and 5 mg/kg) or placebo in cycle 1. All patients also received ondansetron, with or without dexamethasone. Patients ages 0 to 11 were invited to participate in optional cycles 2 to 6, during which they received fosaprepitant at 3 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg.
Results from this trial have been posted on its clinicaltrials.gov page (NCT01697579).