Rhizen Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company, announced that its novel next generation PI3K-delta inhibitor, Umbralisib, which was licensed to TG Therapeutics has secured USFDA accelerated approval for the treatment of : (1) adult patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) who have received at least one prior anti-CD20 based regimen, and (2) adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) who have received at least three prior lines of systemic therapy.
Accelerated approval was granted for these indications, under a priority review (MZL), based on the results of the Phase 2 UNITY-NHL Trial (NCT02793583); in MZL, an ORR of 49% with 16% complete responses and in FL an ORR of 43% with 3% complete responses were achieved, respectively. Umbralisib was earlier granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation (BTD) for the treatment of MZL and orphan drug designation (ODD) for the treatment of MZL and FL.
Umbralisib is a novel, next generation, oral, once daily, inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) delta and casein kinase 1 (CK1) epsilon and was discovered by Rhizen Pharma and subsequently licensed to TG Therapeutics (NASDAQ:TGTX) at an IND stage (TGR 1202) in 2012. In 2014, both parties entered into a licensing agreement as a part of which TGTX obtained worldwide rights and Rhizen has retained commercialization rights for India while also being the manufacturing and supply partner for Umbralisib.
Swaroop Vakkalanka, President & CEO of Rhizen Pharmaceuticals said: “Umbralisib’s approval offers MZL & FL patients a new treatment option and is a huge validation of Rhizen’s drug discovery & development capabilities. This is a momentous occasion in Rhizen’s journey as a successful biotech that speaks of the true ability of our team to discover & develop safe and effective therapies that can last the rigors of drug development. Further, we are keen to bring Umbralisib to Indian patients and we plan to initiate activities towards registration and approval there soon.”
Pranav Amin, Chairman, Rhizen Pharmaceuticals & Managing Director of Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd said: “We are extremely proud of this historic milestone for Rhizen, and of the fact that Umbralisib is the first NCE discovered by Indian scientists to secure a US FDA approval. We are committed to working together with TG Therapeutics and Rhizen Pharma to ensure uninterrupted supply of UKONIQ™. Umbralisib is the first discovery asset to come out of Rhizen’s R&D efforts and this approval heralds the promise of the rest of Rhizen’s deep pipeline and continuing efforts.”
