FDA grants accelerated approval to tepotinib for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer
On February 3, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to tepotinib (Tepmetko, EMD Serono Inc.) for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) exon 14 skipping alterations.
Efficacy was demonstrated in the VISION trial (NCT02864992), a multicenter, non-randomized, open-label, multicohort study enrolling 152 patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC with MET exon 14 skipping alterations. Patients received tepotinib 450 mg orally once daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
The main efficacy outcome measures were overall response rate (ORR) determined by a blinded independent review committee using RECIST 1.1 and response duration. Among the 69 treatment naïve patients, the ORR was 43% (95% CI: 32%, 56%) with a median response duration of 10.8 months (95% CI: 6.9, not estimable). Among the 83 previously treated patients, the ORR was 43% (95% CI: 33%, 55%) with a median response duration of 11.1 months (95% CI: 9.5, 18.5).
The most common adverse reactions (≥ 20% of patients) were edema, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, musculoskeletal pain, and dyspnea. Tepotinib can also cause interstitial lung disease, hepatotoxicity, and embryo-fetal toxicity.
The recommended tepotinib dose is 450 mg orally once daily with food.
View full prescribing information for Tepmetko.
This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and response duration. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials. A description of FDA expedited programs is in the Guidance for Industry: Expedited Programs for Serious Conditions-Drugs and Biologics.
This review used the Real-Time Oncology Review, which streamlined data submission prior to the filing of the entire clinical application. The review also used the Oncology Center of Excellence Assessment Aid and the Product Quality Assessment Aid (PQAA), voluntary submissions from the applicant to facilitate the FDA’s assessment.
This review was conducted under Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence. Project Orbis provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among international partners. For this application, a modified Project Orbis was undertaken because of the timing of submission to other regulatory agencies. FDA collaborated with Health Canada, Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia), and Swissmedic on this review.
Healthcare professionals should report all serious adverse events suspected to be associated with the use of any medicine and device to FDA’s MedWatch Reporting System or by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.
For assistance with single-patient INDs for investigational oncology products, healthcare professionals may contact OCE’s Project Facilitate at 240-402-0004 or email OncProjectFacilitate@fda.hhs.gov.
For information on the COVID-19 pandemic, see the following resources:
- FDA: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- NCI: Coronavirus: What People With Cancer Should Know
- CDC: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
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