U.S. flag An official website of the United States government

On Oct. 1, 2024, the FDA began implementing a reorganization impacting many parts of the agency. We are in the process of updating FDA.gov content to reflect these changes.

  1. Home
  2. Drugs
  3. Development & Approval Process | Drugs
  4. Drug Approvals and Databases
  5. Resources for Information | Approved Drugs
  6. FDA approves emicizumab-kxwh for prevention and reduction of bleeding in patients with hemophilia A with factor VIII inhibitors
  1. Resources for Information | Approved Drugs

FDA approves emicizumab-kxwh for prevention and reduction of bleeding in patients with hemophilia A with factor VIII inhibitors

On November 16, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration approved emicizumab-kxwh (HEMLIBRA, Genentech, Inc.) for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in adult and pediatric patients with hemophilia A (congenital factor VIII deficiency) with factor VIII inhibitors.

Approval was based on data from two clinical trials—an adult and adolescent trial (HAVEN 1) and a pediatric trial (HAVEN 2). HAVEN 1 (NCT02622321) was a randomized, multicenter, open-label, phase 3 trial in 109 adult and adolescent males (aged 12 to 75 years and >40 kg) with hemophilia A with FVIII inhibitors who previously received either episodic (on-demand) or prophylactic treatment with bypassing agents. Patients on prior episodic treatment were randomized 2:1 to weekly emicizumab-kxwh prophylaxis (3 mg/kg once weekly for the first 4 weeks followed by 1.5 mg/kg once weekly, thereafter) or no prophylaxis. Patients randomized to no prophylaxis could switch to emicizumab-kxwh prophylaxis after 24 weeks. For patients receiving emicizumab-kxwh prophylaxis, the annualized bleeding rate (ABR) requiring treatment with coagulation factors was 2.9 (95% CI; 1.7, 5.0) compared with 23.3 (95% CI: 12.3, 43.9) for patients not receiving prophylaxis corresponding to an 87% ABR reduction (95% CI: 72.3%, 94.3%), p0.0001. in="" addition,="" improvements="" in="" patient-reported="" hemophilia-related="" symptoms="" and="" physical="" functioning="" in="" patients="" receiving="" emicizumab-kxwh="" prophylaxis="" were="">

HAVEN 2 (NCT02795767) was a single-arm, multicenter, open-label, clinical trial in pediatric males (age 12="" years,="" or="" 12-17="" years="" who="" weigh="" 40="" kg)="" with="" hemophilia="" a="" with="" fviii="" inhibitors.="" patients="" received="" emicizumab-kxwh="" prophylaxis="" at="" the="" dose="" and="" schedule="" described="" above.="" in="" 23="" patients="" evaluated="" at="" the="" interim="" analysis,="" abr="" for="" treated="" bleeds="" was="" 0.2="" (95%="" ci:="" 0.1,="" 0.6).="" abr="" for="" all="" bleeds="" was="" 2.9="" (95%="" ci:="" 1.8,="">

The most common adverse reactions (occurring in ≥ 10% of patients taking emicizumab-kxwh) are injection site reactions, headache, and arthralgia. Cases of thrombotic microangiopathy and thrombotic events were reported when on average a cumulative amount of >100 U/kg/24 hours of activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC) was administered for 24 hours or more to patients receiving emicizumab-kxwh prophylaxis. The prescribing information contains a boxed warning to monitor for thrombotic microangiopathy and thrombotic events when aPCC is administered. If symptoms occur, aPCC should be discontinued and emicizumab-kxwh should be suspended.

The recommended dose of emicizumab-kxwh is 3 mg/kg by subcutaneous injection once weekly for the first 4 weeks, followed by 1.5 mg/kg once weekly.

Full prescribing information is available at: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/761083s000lbl.pdf.

Emicizumab-kxwh was approved 3.3 months prior to the assigned regulatory action date. FDA granted Priority Review, Breakthrough Therapy designation, and Orphan Drug designation for this indication. A description of FDA expedited programs is in the Guidance for Industry: Expedited Programs for Serious Conditions-Drugs and Biologics, available at: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/guidances/ucm358301.pdf.

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 by completing a form online at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm, by faxing (1-800-FDA-0178) or mailing the postage-paid address form provided online, or by telephone (1-800-FDA-1088).

Follow the Oncology Center of Excellence on Twitter @FDAOncologydisclaimer icon.

Check out recent approvals at the OCE’s new podcast, Drug Information Soundcast in Clinical Oncology (D.I.S.C.O.), available at www.fda.gov/DISCO.
 

Back to Top