Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval the Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) Prior-Approval Supplement (PAS) for the Eylea (aflibercept) Injection prefilled syringe. The 2 mg, single-dose, sterilized prefilled syringe provides physicians with a new way to administer Eylea that requires fewer preparation steps compared to vials. Market supply of the Eylea prefilled syringe is expected to be available to physicians and patients this year.
"With eight pivotal Phase 3 trials and millions of injections used around the world, Eylea sets a high bar for visual acuity and safety across multiple retinal diseases, including wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic eye diseases," said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. "This approval may help doctors more conveniently and efficiently deliver Eylea to appropriate patients."
The sterilized prefilled syringe offers the same medicine as the currently available Eylea, in an easier to use and administer presentation.
In the U.S., Eylea is indicated to treat neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD), macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO), diabetic macular edema (DME) and diabetic retinopathy (DR).
About Eylea (aflibercept) Injection
Eylea (aflibercept) Injection is a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor formulated as an injection for the eye. It is designed to block the growth of new blood vessels and decrease the ability of fluid to pass through blood vessels (vascular permeability) in the eye by blocking VEGF-A and placental growth factor (PLGF), two growth factors involved in angiogenesis. In the U.S., Eylea is the market-leading, FDA-approved anti-VEGF treatment for its approved indications and is supported by a robust body of research that includes eight pivotal Phase 3 trials.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
- Eylea (aflibercept) Injection is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections, active intraocular inflammation, or known hypersensitivity to aflibercept or to any of the excipients in Eylea.
- Intravitreal injections, including those with Eylea, have been associated with endophthalmitis and retinal detachments. Proper aseptic injection technique must always be used when administering Eylea. Patients should be instructed to report any symptoms suggestive of endophthalmitis or retinal detachment without delay and should be managed appropriately. Intraocular inflammation has been reported with the use of Eylea.
- Acute increases in intraocular pressure have been seen within 60 minutes of intravitreal injection, including with Eylea. Sustained increases in intraocular pressure have also been reported after repeated intravitreal dosing with VEGF inhibitors. Intraocular pressure and the perfusion of the optic nerve head should be monitored and managed appropriately.
- There is a potential risk of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) following intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors, including Eylea. ATEs are defined as nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or vascular death (including deaths of unknown cause). The incidence of reported thromboembolic events in wet AMD studies during the first year was 1.8% (32 out of 1824) in the combined group of patients treated with Eylea compared with 1.5% (9 out of 595) in patients treated with ranibizumab; through 96 weeks, the incidence was 3.3% (60 out of 1824) in the Eylea group compared with 3.2% (19 out of 595) in the ranibizumab group. The incidence in the DME studies from baseline to week 52 was 3.3% (19 out of 578) in the combined group of patients treated with Eylea compared with 2.8% (8 out of 287) in the control group; from baseline to week 100, the incidence was 6.4% (37 out of 578) in the combined group of patients treated with Eylea compared with 4.2% (12 out of 287) in the control group. There were no reported thromboembolic events in the patients treated with Eylea in the first six months of the RVO studies.
- Serious adverse reactions related to the injection procedure have occurred in <0.1% of intravitreal injections with Eylea including endophthalmitis and retinal detachment.
- The most common adverse reactions (≥5%) reported in patients receiving Eylea were conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, cataract, vitreous detachment, vitreous floaters, and intraocular pressure increased.
INDICATIONS
Eylea (aflibercept) Injection 2 mg (0.05 mL) is indicated for the treatment of patients with Neovascular (Wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Macular Edema following Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO), Diabetic Macular Edema (DME), and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aflibercept
https://www.eylea.us/
