Norgine B.V. submits Marketing Authorisation Application via Project Orbis for eflornithine (difluoromethylornithine [DFMO]) in high-risk neuroblastoma

Norgine B.V. today announced its first marketing authorisation application submissions on 10 April 2024, seeking approval for eflornithine in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB), via Project Orbis in Australia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. This milestone supports Norgine’s efforts to deliver patient access to eflornithine and bring a further treatment option in the field of paediatric oncology.

Norgine and USWM, LLC (dba US WorldMeds), a Kentucky-based specialty pharmaceutical company, have an exclusive licensing agreement by which Norgine will register and commercialise eflornithine, also referred to as DFMO, in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

On 13 December 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved eflornithine as the first oral maintenance therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB), indicated to reduce the risk of relapse in adult and paediatric patients who have received certain prior therapies.¹ The approval decision was based on findings from a trial comparing outcomes from Study 3b (NCT02395666; investigational arm)^2,4 and Study ANBL0032 (NCT00026312; clinical-trial-derived external control arm)^3,4, where use of eflornithine resulted in improved event-free survival and overall survival when compared to outcomes for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma treated with the standard of care (SoC) without the drug.¹

Dr David Gillen, Chief Medical Officer at Norgine, added, “These submissions via Project Orbis represent an important first step in the regulatory process for eflornithine and re-emphasise Norgine’s passion and commitment in attempting to secure additional treatment options for patients living with HRNB, a condition with a high level of unmet medical need.”

ENDS

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Notes to Editors:

Project Orbis

Project Orbis is an initiative (since May 2019) of the US FDA Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) and provides a framework for concurrent submission and collaborative review of innovative oncology products among international regulatory authorities. It was created with the overarching goal to speed worldwide patient access to innovative cancer therapies. Project Orbis is coordinated by the FDA, and its partners include United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products regulatory Agency (UK MHRA), Australia Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Canada (Health Canada), Singapore (Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Switzerland (Swissmedic), Brazil (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), Israel (Ministry of Health).

HRNB background

Children diagnosed with HRNB undergo an intense SoC regimen that still leaves them vulnerable to relapse and death, a risk that is particularly acute during the first two years.⁵ Approximately 30% of patients who attain remission following upfront therapy will relapse, resulting in a poor prognosis and low likelihood of long-term survival (e.g. estimates as low as 15% of patients will live for five years after relapsing).⁶ Avoiding relapse is key to long-term survival, yet outside of the United States there are no approved therapies for sustaining remission following SoC treatment. The data with eflornithine demonstrate using it as maintenance therapy extends remission and reduces risk of relapse in patients with HRNB.

About Norgine

Norgine is a leading European specialist pharmaceutical company that has been bringing transformative medicines to patients for over a century. Our commitment to transforming people’s lives drives everything we do, and our European experience, fully integrated infrastructure and exceptional partnership approach enable us to quickly apply creative solutions to bring life-changing medicines to patients that they may not otherwise be able to access. Norgine is proud to have helped more than 25 million patients around the world in 2022 and generated €530 million in net product sales, a growth of nearly 5% over 2021.

Norgine has a direct presence in 16 European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand. We also have a strong global network of partnerships in non-Norgine markets. We are a flexible and fully integrated pharmaceutical business, with manufacturing (Hengoed, Wales and Dreux, France), third party supply networks and significant product development capabilities, in addition to our sales and marketing infrastructure. This enables us to acquire, develop and commercialise specialist and innovative products that make a real difference to the lives of patients around the world.

NORGINE and the sail logo are trademarks of the Norgine group of companies.

References

1. FDA approves eflornithine for adult and pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. FDA. News release. 13 December 2023. Available from: FDA approves eflornithine for adult and pediatric patients with high-risk neuroblastoma | FDA

2. Clinical Trial NCT02395666; Preventative trial of difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in high risk patients with neuroblastoma that is in remission. Available from: Study Details | Preventative Trial of Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) in High Risk Patients With Neuroblastoma That is in Remission | ClinicalTrials.gov.

3. Clinical Trial NCT00026312; Isotretinoin with or without dinutuximab, aldesleukin, and sargramostim following stem cell transplant in treating patients with neuroblastoma. Available from: Study Details | Isotretinoin With or Without Dinutuximab, Aldesleukin, and Sargramostim Following Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With Neuroblastoma | ClinicalTrials.gov

4. Oesterheld J, Ferguson W, Kraveka JM, Bergendahl G, Clinch T, Lorenzi E et al. Eflornithine as Postimmunotherapy Maintenance in High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Externally Controlled, Propensity Score-Matched Survival Outcome Comparisons. 2024; 42 (1): 90-102.

5. Basta NO, Halliday GC, Makin G, Birch J, Feltbower R, Bown N, et al. Factors associated with recurrence and survival length following relapse in patients with neuroblastoma. Br J Cancer. 2016;115:1048-57.

6. London WB, Bagatell R, Weigel BJ, Fox E, Guo D, Van Ryn C, et al. Historical time to disease progression and progression-free survival in patients with recurrent/refractory neuroblastoma treated in the modern era on Children’s Oncology Group early-phase trials. Cancer. 2017;123:4914-23.