Oncology

Cimzia(R) (certolizumab Pegol) Now Available For Self-Administration In Adult Patients With Moderate To Severe Crohn's Disease

UCB announced that Cimzia(R) (certolizumab pegol), the only PEGylated anti-TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) approved in the U.S. for reducing signs and symptoms of Crohn"s disease and maintaining clinical response in adult patients with moderate to severe active disease who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy, is now available for self-administration in a prefilled syringe designed in partnership with OXO GOOD GRIPS(R) a company dedicated to providing innovative consumer products that make everyday life easier. "We looked at a variety of unmet needs for Crohn"s disease patients and found that many prefer a prefilled syringe when taking biologic medications," said David Robinson, vice president and general manager of UCB"s Immunology Business Unit. "This newly designed, easy-to-use syringe, developed with a renowned consumer products company like OXO(R), will enable many patients to conveniently self-administer their therapy every four weeks." The Cimzia(R) prefilled syringe, designed by UCB in partnership with OXO GOOD GRIPS(R) is available exclusively for use with Cimzia(R). The companies recognized the importance of designing a syringe and packaging components with the patient in mind to provide ease of use, comfort, control and confidence. The new syringe provides a soft, non-slip grip on the flange which allows the patients to hold the syringe steady using various grip positions so it is easy and comfortable to use. The large and soft thumb pad on the plunger makes it easy to push for patients. The rounded finger loop allows for easy removal of the needle cover. The easy-to-read syringe barrel helps to ensure patients receive the entire dose as they can see the medicine inside and know when they have injected all of the medication. Additionally, the packaging utilizes Velcro(R) for easy opening and resealing. In addition, the new Cimzia(R) prefilled syringe carries the Arthritis Foundation(R) Ease-of-Use Commendation. The Arthritis Foundation(R) created the program to encourage manufacturers to design user-friendly products and packaging. Manufacturers submit their products for testing by an independent lab experienced in the design and evaluation of products that are accessible to people with functional limitations due to the effects of arthritis. Cimzia(R) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on April 22, 2008 for reducing the signs and symptoms of moderate to severe Crohn"s disease and maintaining clinical response in adult patients who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy. The new prefilled syringe is now available to Crohn"s patients taking Cimzia(R) for subcutaneous self-administration once every four weeks after initial doses once a physician has provided instruction for proper use. The Crohn"s approval was based on safety and efficacy data from clinical trials in more than 1,500 patients with Crohn"s disease. Cimzia(R) was also recently approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. About CIMZIA(R) (certolizumab pegol) Cimzia(R) is the only PEGylated anti-TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor). Cimzia(R) has a high affinity for human TNF-alpha, selectively neutralising the pathophysiological effects of TNF-alpha. Over the past decade, TNF-alpha has emerged as a major target of basic research and clinical investigation. This cytokine plays a key role in mediating pathological inflammation, and excess TNF-alpha production has been directly implicated in a wide variety of diseases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Cimzia(R) for reducing signs and symptoms of Crohn"s disease and maintaining clinical response in adult patients with moderate to severe active disease who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy and for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis. Cimzia(R) was approved in Switzerland for induction of a clinical response and for the maintenance of a clinical response and remission in patients with active Crohn"s disease who have not responded adequately to conventional treatment in September 2007. UCB is also developing Cimzia(R) in other autoimmune disease indications. Cimzia(R) is a registered trademark of UCB PHARMA S.A. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Patients treated with CIMZIA are at an increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death. Most patients who developed these infections were taking concomitant immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids. CIMZIA should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis. Reported infections include: -- Active tuberculosis, including reactivation of latent tuberculosis. Patients with tuberculosis have frequently presented with disseminated or extrapulmonary disease. Patients should be tested for latent tuberculosis before CIMZIA use and during therapy. Treatment for latent infection should be initiated prior to CIMZIA use. -- Invasive fungal infections, including histoplasmosis , coccidioidomycosis, candidiasis, aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and pneumocystosis. Patients with histoplasmosis or other invasive fungal infections may present with disseminated, rather than localized disease. Antigen and antibody testing for histoplasmosis may be negative in some patients with active infection. Empiric anti-fungal therapy should be considered in patients at risk for invasive fungal infections who develop severe systemic illness. -- Bacterial, viral and other infections due to opportunistic pathogens. The risks and benefits of treatment with CIMZIA should be carefully considered prior to initiating therapy in patients with chronic or recurrent infection. Patients should be closely monitored for the development of signs and symptoms of infection during and after treatment with CIMZIA, including the possible development of tuberculosis in patients who tested negative for latent tuberculosis infection prior to initiating therapy. Serious and sometimes fatal infection due to bacterial, mycobacterial, invasive fungal, viral or other opportunistic pathogens has been reported in patients receiving TNF-blocking agents. Among opportunistic infections, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, aspergillosis, candidiasis, coccidioidomycosis, listeriosis, and pneumocystosis were the most common. Treatment with CIMZIA should not be initiated in patients with an active infection, including clinically important localized infections. The risks and benefits of treatment should be considered prior to initiating therapy in patients with chronic or recurrent infection, who have been exposed to tuberculosis, who have resided or traveled in areas of endemic tuberculosis or endemic mycoses, such as histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, or blastomycosis, or with underlying conditions that may predispose them to infection. Patients should be evaluated for tuberculosis risk factors and tested for latent infection prior to initiating CIMZIA and periodically during therapy. Patients should be closely monitored for the development of signs and symptoms of infections during and after treatment with CIMZIA, including development of tuberculosis in patients who tested negative for latent tuberculosis infection prior to initiating therapy. CIMZIA should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection or sepsis. Patients who develop a new infection during treatment with CIMZIA should be closely monitored, undergo a prompt and complete diagnostic workup appropriate for immunocompromised patients, and appropriate antimicrobial therapy should be initiated. Appropriate empiric antifungal therapy should also be considered while a diagnostic workup is performed for patients who develop a serious systemic illness and reside or travel in regions where mycoses are endemic. During controlled and open-labeled portions of CIMZIA studies of Crohn"s disease and other diseases , malignancies (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) were observed at a rate (95% confidence interval) of 0.5 (0.4, 0.7 ) per 100 patient-years among 4,650 CIMZIA-treated patients versus a rate of 0.6 (0.2, 1.7) per 100 patient-years among 1,319 placebo-treated patients. The size of the control group and limited duration of the controlled portions of the studies preclude the ability to draw firm conclusions. In studies of CIMZIA for Crohn"s disease and other investigational uses, there was one case of lymphoma among 2,657 CIMZIA-treated patients and one case of Hodgkin lymphoma among 1,319 placebo-treated patients. In CIMZIA RA clinical trials (placebo-controlled and open label) a total of three cases of lymphoma were observed among 2,367 patients. This is approximately 2-fold higher than expected in the general population. Patients with RA, particularly those with highly active disease, are at a higher risk for the development of lymphoma. The potential role of TNF blocker therapy in the development of malignancies is not known. Cases of worsening congestive heart failure (CHF) and new onset CHF have been reported with TNF blockers. CIMZIA has not been formally studied in patients with CHF. Exercise caution when using CIMZIA in patients who have heart failure and monitor them carefully. Symptoms compatible with hypersensitivity reactions, including angioedema, dyspnea, hypotension, rash, serum sickness, and urticaria, have been reported rarely following CIMZIA administration. If such reactions occur, discontinue further administration of CIMZIA and institute appropriate therapy. Use of TNF blockers, including CIMZIA, may increase the risk of reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in patients who are chronic carriers of this virus. Some cases have been fatal. Evaluate patients at risk for HBV infection for prior evidence of HBV infection before initiating CIMZIA therapy. Exercise caution in prescribing CIMZIA for patients identified as carriers of HBV. Patients who

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