FDA approves ofatumumab/chlorambucil combo treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

LONDON — GlaxoSmithKline and Genmab A/S announced last week that the Food and Drug Administration has approved a supplemental biologic license application for the use of Arzerra (ofatumumab) in combination with chlorambucil for the treatment of previously untreated patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia for whom fludarabine-based therapy is considered inappropriate.

The FDA approval of the first-line indication is based on results from a Phase III study (Complement 1), which demonstrated statistically significant improvement in median progression-free survival in patients who received the combination of ofatumumab and chlorambucil compared to patients who received chlorambucil alone.

“CLL is the most common form of leukemia amongst adults in Western countries, many of whom are elderly with multiple health issues,” said Paolo Paoletti, president of Oncology, GSK. “Today’s approval by the FDA for the use of Arzerra in the first-line setting means that appropriate patients with CLL have a new treatment option.”

“We are pleased that Arzerra has been shown to provide clinical benefit and will now be available in the first-line setting. Arzerra, the first approved therapeutic created by Genmab and developed in collaboration with GSK, is the only therapeutic CD20 antibody approved in combination with chlorambucil for first-line CLL and as a monotherapy for CLL refractory to fludarabine and alemtuzumab,” said Jan van de Winkel, CEO Genmab.