{"id":611649,"date":"2024-06-10T22:06:52","date_gmt":"2024-06-11T02:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/fda-approves-kevzara-sarilumab-for-the-treatment-of-active-polyarticular-juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis-pjia\/"},"modified":"2024-06-12T02:24:41","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T06:24:41","slug":"fda-approves-kevzara-sarilumab-for-the-treatment-of-active-polyarticular-juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis-pjia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platohealth.ai\/fda-approves-kevzara-sarilumab-for-the-treatment-of-active-polyarticular-juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis-pjia\/","title":{"rendered":"FDA Approves Kevzara (sarilumab) for the Treatment of Active polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (pJIA)","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
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FDA Approves Kevzara (sarilumab) for the Treatment of Active polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (pJIA)<\/b><\/p>\n

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TARRYTOWN, N.Y. and CAMBRIDGE, MA, June 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) and Sanofi today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Kevzara\u00ae <\/sup>(sarilumab) for the treatment of patients weighing 63 kg or greater with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA), a form of arthritis that impacts multiple joints at a time.<\/p>\n

\u201cPolyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis can be a painful disease for children where multiple joints are impacted by this chronic infammation,\u201d said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Board co-Chair, President and Chief Scientific Officer at Regeneron. “Not only are their daily lives impacted, but their futures can be disrupted without adequate treatment. The approval of Kevzara in polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis provides these vulnerable patients and their families a new FDA-approved treatment option to help navigate this disease.\u201d<\/p>\n

The FDA approval in this patient population is supported by evidence from adequate and well-controlled studies and pharmacokinetic data from adults with rheumatoid arthritis as well as a pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, dose finding and safety study in pediatric patients with pJIA.<\/p>\n

People living with pJIA may experience joint symptoms such as pain, stiffness and swelling, which may restrict their activities and make certain aspects of their day-to-day life incredibly challenging. The disease can lead to an increased risk of permanent joint damage as well as delayed growth and development, due to chronic joint inflammation.<\/p>\n

No new adverse reactions (ARs) and safety concerns were identified in the pJIA population compared to the rheumatoid arthritis population. The most common adverse drug reactions for patients with pJIA were nasopharyngitis, neutropenia, upper respiratory tract infection, and injection site erythema. The most common AR that resulted in permanent discontinuation of therapy with Kevzara was neutropenia. Overall, patients treated with Kevzara are at increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis latest approval for Kevzara brings a new treatment option with an established efficacy and safety profile to pediatric patients living with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis,\u201d said Brian Foard, Executive Vice President, Head, Specialty Care at Sanofi. \u201cThis milestone highlights our ongoing commitment to bringing medicines to our younger patients living with this chronic condition that can cause debilitating joint pain and inflammation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sanofi and Regeneron are committed to helping patients in the U.S. who are prescribed Kevzara gain access to the medicine and receive the support they may need. KevzaraConnect\u00ae<\/sup>, a comprehensive and specialized program that provides support services to patients throughout every step of the treatment process, can help eligible patients who are uninsured, lack coverage, or need copay assistance. For more information, please call: 1-844-Kevzara (1-844-538-9272) or visit www.Kevzara.com.<\/p>\n

About Kevzara<\/strong>
In addition to pJIA, Kevzara is currently approved in 25 countries to treat adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis after at least one other medicine, called a disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD), has been used and did not work well or could not be tolerated. Kevzara is also approved in the U.S. for the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica \u2013 an inflammatory rheumatic disease \u2013 in adult patients who have had an inadequate response to corticosteroids or who cannot tolerate corticosteroid taper.<\/p>\n

Kevzara binds specifically to the IL-6 receptor and has been shown to inhibit IL-6-mediated signaling. IL-6 is an immune system protein produced in increased quantities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and has been associated with disease activity, joint destruction and other systemic problems.<\/p>\n

Sarilumab is being jointly developed by Sanofi and Regeneron under a global collaboration agreement.<\/p>\n

About Regeneron’s <\/strong>VelocImmune<\/em><\/strong>\u00ae<\/em><\/strong><\/sup> Technology<\/strong>
Regeneron’s VelocImmune<\/em> technology utilizes a proprietary genetically engineered mouse platform endowed with a genetically humanized immune system to produce optimized fully human antibodies. When Regeneron’s co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer George D. Yancopoulos was a graduate student with his mentor Frederick W. Alt in 1985, they were the first to envision<\/a> making such a genetically humanized mouse, and Regeneron has spent decades inventing and developing VelocImmune<\/em> and related VelociSuite<\/em>\u00ae<\/sup> technologies. Dr. Yancopoulos and his team have used VelocImmune<\/em> technology to create a substantial proportion of all original, FDA-approved or authorized fully human monoclonal antibodies. This includes REGEN-COV\u00ae<\/sup> (casirivimab and imdevimab), Dupixent\u00ae<\/sup> (dupilumab), Libtayo\u00ae <\/sup>(cemiplimab-rwlc), Praluent\u00ae<\/sup> (alirocumab), Kevzara, Evkeeza\u00ae<\/sup> (evinacumab-dgnb), Inmazeb\u00ae<\/sup> (atoltivimab, maftivimab and odesivimab-ebgn) and Veopoz\u00ae<\/sup> (pozelimab-bbfg).<\/p>\n

U.S. Indications and Important Safety Information<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kevzara (sarilumab) is an injectable prescription medicine called an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor blocker. Kevzara is used to treat:<\/p>\n