GenotoxicityAccepted with a conditionBeyond the letter
No adequate in vivo genotoxicity characterisation of IV artesunate at approval; GLP in vivo micronucleus test deferred
Why: Severity of severe malaria and unmet need for treatments · Serious disease · Rare disease / unmet need
“The submitted nonclinical safety information on IV artesunate lacks adequate characterization of the in vivo genotoxic potential and the potential risks on female fertility. However, given the severity of the disease and the unmet need for drugs intended to treat severe malaria the current nonclinical package supports approval for marketing in the U.S.”
✓ VerifiedFDA multi-discipline review, p. 41Source ↗ “The Applicant will be conducting the following nonclinical studies as postmarketing requirements: a GLP-in vivo micronucleus test and a female fertility study with IV artesunate.”
✓ VerifiedFDA multi-discipline review, p. 41Source ↗ DARTAccepted with a conditionBeyond the letter
No formal fertility study; female fertility study with IV artesunate deferred to postmarketing
Why: Severity of disease and unmet need; female fertility study required postmarketing · Serious disease · Rare disease / unmet need
“Given the conflicting findings in animals and lack of any formal fertility study(ies), the risk that IV artesunate administration poses to human fertility is uncertain.”
✓ VerifiedFDA multi-discipline review, p. 39Source ↗ “The Applicant will be conducting the following nonclinical studies as postmarketing requirements: a GLP-in vivo micronucleus test and a female fertility study with IV artesunate.”
✓ VerifiedFDA multi-discipline review, p. 41Source ↗ DARTAcceptedBeyond the letter
No pre- and postnatal development study; judged uninformative given embryolethality and malformations in oral embryo-fetal studies
Why: Embryolethality and malformations in oral embryo-fetal studies mean a PPND study would add no clinically meaningful information · Weight of evidence
“The extent of embryolethality and fetal malformations observed in the oral embryo-fetal development studies indicate that pre-and postnatal development study(ies) conducted with artesunate, by any route of administration route, would not yield any clinically meaningful information.”
✓ VerifiedFDA multi-discipline review, p. 40Source ↗ Safety pharmacologyAcceptedBeyond the letter
No GLP hERG study with artesunate
Why: No significant QTc prolongation detected in the clinical QT assessment · Human data
“Artesunate has not been evaluated in GLP studies for effects on human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) tail currents. The Applicant was not requested to conduct a hERG study using artesunate as no significant QTc prolongation of artesunate was detected in the QT assessment (see Section 10.4.9).”
✓ VerifiedFDA multi-discipline review, p. 41Source ↗ Safety marginVerdict not stated
Rat NOAEL 3 mg/kg/day equals 0.2 times the clinical dose (body surface area)
“The NOAEL was 3 mg/kg/day, a dose equivalent to 0.2 that of the clinical dose based on body surface area comparisons.”
✓ VerifiedFDA multi-discipline review, p. 38Source ↗