FDA grants orphan drug status to two non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma drugs

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands The Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designations to Kiadis Pharma’s drug Reviroc for two types of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Kiadis announced Monday.

The FDA granted one designation for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and one for follicular lymphoma. The drug is under development for the elimination of cancer cells from an autologous graft in bone marrow transplants for end-stage blood cancer patients.

“This is an important strategic milestone in the development of Reviroc, and we are very pleased with the orphan drug designations received from the FDA,” Kiadis chief executive officer Manja Bouman said in a statement.

The FDA gives orphan drug designations to drugs developed for treating diseases and conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. The designation allows for accelerated review, tax benefits, exemption from user fees and a seven-year period of market exclusivity in the U.S. after regulatory approval.