CarcinogenicityAccepted with a conditionBeyond the letter
No carcinogenicity study before approval; single-species study deferred to a postmarketing requirement
Why: Not required pre-approval to avoid delaying a drug with mortality benefit for a rare, serious disease without other treatments · Rare disease / unmet need · Serious disease
“Carcinogenicity studies with fosdenopterin have not been conducted. A carcinogenicity study in a single species will be conducted as a postmarketing requirement.”
✓ VerifiedFDA integrated review, p. 79Source ↗ “We are not requiring these studies pre-approval so as not to further delay approval of Nulibry, a drug with a mortality benefit for a rare, serious, devastating disease without other treatment options.”
✓ VerifiedFDA integrated review, p. 150Source ↗ DARTAccepted with a conditionBeyond the letter
No reproductive or developmental toxicity studies before approval; deferred to postmarketing requirements
Why: Untreated patients do not survive into adolescence and adulthood; studies delayed until more clinical data · Rare disease / unmet need · Serious disease
“Nonclinical reproductive and developmental toxicity studies with fosdenopterin have not been conducted. These studies will be conducted as a postmarketing requirement.”
✓ VerifiedFDA integrated review, p. 79Source ↗ “Because untreated patients with MoCD Type A do not survive into adolescence and adulthood, we agreed upon a delay of the nonclinical reproductive and developmental toxicity studies until additional clinical data on patients treated with Nulibry”
✓ VerifiedFDA integrated review, p. 150Source ↗ Safety pharmacologyVerdict not stated
Safety pharmacology margins at the no-observed-effect level low to non-existent due to low maximum dose levels
“No fosdenopterin-related effects were observed in vitro or on cardiovascular, CNS or respiratory parameters in vivo. Due to low maximum dose levels, margins at no-observed-effect-level (NOEL) are low to non-existing.”
✓ VerifiedEMA assessment report, p. 21Source ↗ Efficacy modelAcceptedBeyond the letter
No pharmacodynamic data in mice by the intended IV route of administration
Why: Limited volume feasible for IV administration to mice · Other reason
“The lack of data from the intended route of administration is considered acceptable based on the limited volume feasible for IV administration to mice.”
✓ VerifiedEMA assessment report, p. 21Source ↗ OtherAcceptedBeyond the letter
No in vivo metabolism or excretion studies
Why: No metabolites in vitro; synthetic replacement for endogenous cPMP eliminated like the endogenous molecule · Pharmacology or kinetics
“In vivo studies to address metabolism have not been conducted. This is considered acceptable since no metabolites are detected in vitro, and since fosdenopterin is a synthetic replacement for the endogenous molecule (cPMP) expected to be eliminated and excreted in an identical manner to that of the endogenous molecule.”
✓ VerifiedEMA assessment report, p. 27Source ↗