On October 20, Roche Holding Ltd (RHHBY.US) announced that ocrelizumab (marketed as Gazyva/Gazyvaro) has received FDA approval for a new indication to treat adult patients with active lupus nephritis (LN) who are receiving standard therapy. After an initial treatment consisting of four doses in the first year, the dosing frequency can be modified to twice a year. This drug is the first CD20-targeted therapy approved by the FDA for the treatment of lupus nephritis. The FDA's decision was primarily based on positive results from the Phase II NOBILITY study and the Phase III REGISTRY study. The REGISTRY study demonstrated that 46.4% of patients treated with ocrelizumab in combination with standard therapy (mycophenolate mofetil and corticosteroids) achieved complete renal response (CRR) at week 76, compared to 33.1% in the standard therapy group (adjusted difference of 13.4%, 95% CI: 2.0%-24.8%; P=0.0232). Additionally, the ocrelizumab group showed clinically meaningful improvements in complement levels, as well as reductions in anti-dsDNA antibodies, disease activity, and inflammation markers.
Comments