Kymriah first CAR-T therapy available for distinct indications in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell ALL

Novartis announced that its supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) suspension for intravenous infusion, formerly CTL019, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory (r/r) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are ineligible for or relapse after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) has been accepted by the FDA) for Priority Review. In addition, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted accelerated assessment to the Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for Kymriah for the treatment of children and young adults with r/r B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and for adult patients with r/r DLBCL who are ineligible for ASCT.

Priority Review and accelerated assessment are granted to therapies which may provide a significant improvement in the safety and effectiveness of the treatment of a serious disease, and the designations are intended to expedite the standard review time. If approved by the FDA and EMA, Kymriah would represent the first chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy available for two distinct indications in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell ALL. Kymriah became the first CAR-T cell therapy to receive regulatory approval when it was approved by the FDA in August 2017 for the treatment of patients up to 25 years of age with B-cell precursor ALL that is refractory or in second or later relapse,

Kymriah is a novel immunocellular therapy and a one-time treatment that uses a patient's own T cells to fight cancer. Kymriah uses the 4-1BB costimulatory domain in its chimeric antigen receptor to enhance cellular expansion and persistence. In 2012, Novartis and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) entered into a global collaboration to further research, develop and commercialize CAR-T cell therapies, including Kymriah, for the investigational treatment of cancers .