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22-Jan-2020

Genmab Announces European Marketing Authorization for DARZALEX® (Daratumumab) in Combination with Bortezomib, Thalidomide and Dexamethasone in Frontline Multiple Myeloma

  • DARZALEX® (daratumumab) approved in Europe in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant
  • Approval follows positive opinion by European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) in December
  • Approval based on data from Phase III CASSIOPEIA study

Copenhagen, Denmark; January 20, 2020 – Genmab A/S (Nasdaq: GMAB) announced today that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for DARZALEX® (daratumumab) in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). The EC approval follows a positive opinion issued for DARZALEX by the CHMP of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in December 2019. In August 2012, Genmab granted Janssen Biotech, Inc. (Janssen) an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab.

“With this approval, newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma who are eligible for ASCT may have the opportunity for treatment with a DARZALEX-containing regimen. We are extremely pleased that DARZALEX has received this latest approval and we look forward to the combination of DARZALEX plus bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone being launched in Europe,” said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab.

The approval was based on the Phase III CASSIOPEIA (MMY3006) study sponsored by the French Intergroupe Francophone du Myelome (IFM) in collaboration with the Dutch-Belgian Cooperative Trial Group for Hematology Oncology (HOVON) and Janssen R&D, LLC. Data from this study was published in The Lancet and presented at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

About the CASSIOPEIA (MMY3006) study
This Phase III study is a randomized, open-label, multicenter study, run by the French Intergroupe Francophone du Myelome (IFM) in collaboration with the Dutch-Belgian Cooperative Trial Group for Hematology Oncology (HOVON) and Janssen R&D, LLC, including 1,085 newly diagnosed subjects with previously untreated symptomatic multiple myeloma who are eligible for high dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. In the first part of the study, patients were randomized to receive induction and consolidation treatment with daratumumab combined with bortezomib, thalidomide (an immunomodulatory agent) and dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) or treatment with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone alone. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients that achieve a stringent Complete Response (sCR). In the second part of the study, patients that achieved a response will undergo a second randomization to either receive maintenance treatment of daratumumab 16 mg/kg every 8 weeks for up to 2 years versus no further treatment (observation). The primary endpoint of this part of the study is progression free survival (PFS).

About multiple myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer that starts in the bone marrow and is characterized by an excess proliferation of plasma cells.1 Approximately 16,830 new patients were expected to be diagnosed with multiple myeloma and approximately 10,480 people were expected to die from the disease in the Western Europe in 2018.2 Globally, it was estimated that 160,000 people were diagnosed and 106,000 died from the disease in 2018.3  While some patients with multiple myeloma have no symptoms at all, most patients are diagnosed due to symptoms which can include bone problems, low blood counts, calcium elevation, kidney problems or infections.4

About DARZALEX® (daratumumab)
DARZALEX® (daratumumab) intravenous infusion is indicated for the treatment of adult patients in the United States: in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone as treatment for patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy; in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor (PI); and as a monotherapy for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy, including a PI and an immunomodulatory agent, or who are double-refractory to a PI and an immunomodulatory agent.5 DARZALEX is the first monoclonal antibody (mAb) to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) approval to treat multiple myeloma. DARZALEX intravenous infusion is indicated for the treatment of adult patients in Europe: in combination with bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone as treatment for patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma who are eligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; for use in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy; and as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, whose prior therapy included a PI and an immunomodulatory agent and who have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy6. The option to split the first infusion of DARZALEX over two consecutive days has been approved in both Europe and the U.S. In Japan, DARZALEX intravenous infusion is approved for the treatment of adult patients: in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, or bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma; in combination with bortezomib, melphalan and prednisone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant; in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant. DARZALEX is the first human CD38 monoclonal antibody to reach the market in the United States, Europe and Japan. For more information, visit www.DARZALEX.com.

Daratumumab is a human IgG1k monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds with high affinity to the CD38 molecule, which is highly expressed on the surface of multiple myeloma cells.  Daratumumab triggers a person’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells, resulting in rapid tumor cell death through multiple immune-mediated mechanisms of action and through immunomodulatory effects, in addition to direct tumor cell death, via apoptosis (programmed cell death).5,6,7,8,9,10

Daratumumab is being developed by Janssen Biotech, Inc. under an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize daratumumab from Genmab. A comprehensive clinical development program for daratumumab is ongoing, including multiple Phase III studies in smoldering, relapsed and refractory and frontline multiple myeloma settings. Additional studies are ongoing or planned to assess the potential of daratumumab in other malignant and pre-malignant diseases in which CD38 is expressed, such as amyloidosis, NKT-cell lymphoma and B-cell and T-cell ALL. Daratumumab has received two Breakthrough Therapy Designations from the U.S. FDA for certain indications of multiple myeloma, including as a monotherapy for heavily pretreated multiple myeloma and in combination with certain other therapies for second-line treatment of multiple myeloma.

About Genmab
Genmab is a publicly traded, international biotechnology company specializing in the creation and development of differentiated antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Founded in 1999, the company has two approved antibodies, DARZALEX® (daratumumab) for the treatment of certain multiple myeloma indications, and Arzerra® (ofatumumab) for the treatment of certain chronic lymphocytic leukemia indications. Daratumumab is in clinical development for additional multiple myeloma indications, other blood cancers and amyloidosis. A subcutaneous formulation of ofatumumab is in development for relapsing multiple sclerosis. Genmab also has a broad clinical and pre-clinical product pipeline. Genmab's technology base consists of validated and proprietary next generation antibody technologies - the DuoBody® platform for generation of bispecific antibodies, the HexaBody® platform, which creates effector function enhanced antibodies, the HexElect® platform, which combines two co-dependently acting HexaBody molecules to introduce selectivity while maximizing therapeutic potency and the DuoHexaBody® platform, which enhances the potential potency of bispecific antibodies through hexamerization. The company intends to leverage these technologies to create opportunities for full or co-ownership of future products. Genmab has alliances with top tier pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Genmab is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark with core sites in Utrecht, the Netherlands and Princeton, New Jersey, U.S.

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Last Updated: 22-Jan-2020