FDA Approves Avsola (infliximab-axxq), a Biosimilar to Remicade

Amgen announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Avsola (infliximab-axxq) for all approved indications of the reference product, Remicade® (infliximab): for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), moderate-to-severe Crohn's Disease (CD) in the adult and pediatric population, moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC) in the adult and pediatric population, chronic severe plaque psoriasis (PsO), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

"The approval of Avsola represents an important milestone across our biosimilar and inflammation portfolios," said Murdo Gordon, executive vice president of Global Commercial Operations at Amgen. "Following July's exciting launches of our two biosimilars in oncology, Avsola highlights Amgen's long-term commitment to providing more affordable biological treatment options to patients across critical disease states, including chronic inflammatory conditions."

Avsola, an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNF) monoclonal antibody, was proven to be highly similar to Remicade with no clinically meaningful differences based on a totality of evidence which included comparative analytical, nonclinical and clinical data. The data package was composed of, in part, results from a pharmacokinetic (PK) similarity study conducted in healthy subjects, and a comparative clinical study conducted in patients with moderate to severe RA.

The randomized, double-blind comparative clinical study evaluated the efficacy and safety of Avsola compared to Remicade in patients with moderate-to-severe RA. There were 558 patients enrolled and randomized (1:1) to receive either Avsola or Remicade at a dose of 3 mg/kg administered as an infusion on day 1, at weeks 2 and 6, and every 8 weeks thereafter. The primary endpoint was the response difference (RD) of 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology core set measurements (ACR20) at week 22. Key secondary endpoints included DAS28-CRP change from baseline, RD of ACR20, ACR50 and ACR70 at weeks 2, 6, 14, 22, 30, 34, 38, 46 and 50. The study also incorporated the evaluation of a single transition in 119 subjects from Remicade to Avsola at week 22, which demonstrated similar safety and immunogenicity in patients who were previously on Remicade.

Amgen has a total of 10 biosimilars in its portfolio, four of which have been approved in the U.S., and 3 that are approved in the European Union (EU).

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