Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for tanezumab for the treatment of chronic pain in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and chronic low back pain (CLBP). Tanezumab is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively targets, binds to and inhibits nerve growth factor (NGF). It is the first NGF inhibitor to receive Fast Track designation, a process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of new therapies to treat serious conditions and fill unmet medical needs.
"If approved, tanezumab would be the first in a new class of non-opioid chronic pain medications," said Ken Verburg, Chief Development Officer, Neuroscience & Pain, Pfizer Global Product Development. "We believe it would represent an important medical advance in the treatment of debilitating osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain for patients who do not experience adequate pain relief or cannot tolerate currently available pain medications."
The Phase 3 global clinical development program for tanezumab is currently ongoing and includes six studies in approximately 7,000 patients with OA, CLBP or cancer pain who did not experience adequate pain relief with approved therapies. Results are projected to begin reporting out in 2018. All studies are investigating subcutaneous administration of tanezumab by a health care provider once every eight weeks for treatment periods ranging from 16 to 56 weeks, followed by a 24-week safety follow-up period.
"It is estimated that there are more than 27 million Americans currently living with osteoarthritis and 23 million living with chronic low back pain, many of whom fail to achieve adequate pain relief despite treatment with various types of pain medications," said Christi Shaw, Senior Vice President and President, Lilly Bio-Medicines. "We are committed to offering innovative solutions to people suffering from chronic pain conditions, and look forward to working closely with the FDA to facilitate the development of tanezumab."
About Tanezumab
Tanezumab is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody, which works by selectively targeting, binding to and inhibiting NGF. NGF levels increase in the body as a result of injury, inflammation or in chronic pain states. By inhibiting NGF, tanezumab may help to keep pain signals produced by muscles, skin and organs from reaching the spinal cord and brain. Tanezumab has a novel mechanism that acts in a different manner than opioids and other analgesics, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
In 2013, Pfizer and Lilly entered into a worldwide co-development and co-commercialization agreement for the advancement of tanezumab.
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About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism.