Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) voted unanimously (11 to 0) that the benefit-risk of rituximab/hyaluronidase for subcutaneous (under the skin) injection was favorable for the treatment of certain blood cancers, which include: previously untreated follicular lymphoma, previously untreated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), relapsed or refractory low grade or follicular lymphoma, and previously untreated and relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

This new co-formulation includes the same monoclonal antibody as intravenous Rituxan (rituximab) and hyaluronidase, a molecule that helps to deliver medicine under the skin. The FDA is expected to make a decision on approval by June 26, 2017.

“Subcutaneous rituximab can be administered in five to seven minutes compared to an hour and a half or more for intravenous Rituxan,” said Sandra Horning, M.D., chief medical officer and head of global product development. “The significant reduction in administration time could especially benefit people with blood cancer who may receive years of treatment, and we are pleased the committee unanimously supported this new co-formulation.”

This co-formulation has been available in the European Union since 2014 where it is known as the subcutaneous (SC) formulation of MabThera (rituximab) and is approved in approximately 50 other countries worldwide. In the United States, Rituxan is currently approved as an intravenous formulation for the treatment of people with previously untreated follicular lymphoma, previously untreated DLBCL, relapsed or refractory low grade or follicular lymphoma, and previously untreated and relapsed or refractory CLL. Intravenous Rituxan will continue to be available to patients if subcutaneous rituximab is approved. The committee’s vote does not affect intravenous Rituxan’s approved uses in the United States or in other countries.

The ODAC recommendation was based on a review of results from a clinical development program comprising five studies that together represented more than 2,000 people across key blood cancers for which intravenous Rituxan is approved. Because the monoclonal antibody in subcutaneous rituximab and intravenous Rituxan is the same, it was possible to utilize clinical studies that linked the safety and efficacy profile of the subcutaneous co-formulation to the well-established profile of intravenous Rituxan. The studies demonstrated that subcutaneous administration of the co-formulation resulted in non-inferior levels of rituximab in the blood (pharmacokinetics) and consistent clinical efficacy and safety outcomes compared to intravenous Rituxan. The clinical program also assessed patient preferences for subcutaneous rituximab and healthcare provider opinions.

The studies were the following: SparkThera (NCT00930514): Phase Ib maintenance study in previously untreated or relapsed follicular lymphoma; SABRINA (NCT01200758): Phase III induction and maintenance study in previously untreated follicular lymphoma; SAWYER (NCT01292603): Phase Ib study in previously untreated CLL; MabEase (NCT01649856): Phase III study in previously untreated DLBCL; PrefMab (NCT01724021): Phase III patient preference study in previously untreated follicular lymphoma and DLBCL.

Data from these studies were included in the company’s Biologics License Application for subcutaneous rituximab submitted to the FDA.

Rituxan is a monoclonal antibody designed to attach to CD20, a protein found on certain types of B-cells. It is thought to work by attacking targeted cells together with the body’s immune system. Rituxan was discovered by Biogen and is part of a collaboration between Genentech and Biogen in the United States. Since its initial approval in 1997, Rituxan has been used to treat more than 4.4 million people with blood cancers.

Subcutaneous rituximab is investigational in the United States. It is a co-formulation of the same monoclonal antibody as intravenous Rituxan and recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20), a technology licensed from Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. Hyaluronidase is an FDA-approved molecule that facilitates the delivery of a relatively large volume of medicine under the skin. The subcutaneous co-formulation can be administered in five to seven minutes, compared to 1.5 to four hours for intravenous Rituxan.