BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--InnoCare Pharma (HKEX: 09969; SSE: 688428), a leading biopharmaceutical company focusing on the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced today that China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has accepted and granted priority review to a biologics license application (BLA) for tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide for adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).
Dr. Jasmine Cui, Co-founder, Chairwoman and CEO of InnoCare, said, “Today's BLA acceptance marks an important milestone for InnoCare. DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma globally, and there is a significant unmet need for DLBCL patients in China. We believe that tafasitamab regimen will bring a novel treatment therapy to DLBCL patients in China.”
Tafasitamab, a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19-targeting immunotherapy, in combination with lenalidomide has already been approved for the treatment of eligible DLBCL patients in Hong Kong. Furthermore, under the early access program in the Bo’ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, prescriptions of tafasitamab in combination with lenalidomide were issued at the Ruijin Hainan Hospital and Guangdong Clifford Hospital for eligible DLBCL patients.
Tafasitamab is approved under accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and conditional approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of relapsed or refractory DLBCL adult patients who are not eligible for ASCT.
DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and its incidence accounts for 31% to 34% of NHL globally. In China, DLBCL accounts for 45.8% of all NHLs1.
About Tafasitamab
Tafasitamab is a humanized Fc-modified cytolytic CD19 targeting monoclonal antibody. In 2010, MorphoSys licensed exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize tafasitamab from Xencor, Inc. Tafasitamab incorporates an XmAb® engineered Fc domain, which mediates B-cell lysis through apoptosis and immune effector mechanism including Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity (ADCC) and Antibody-Dependent Cellular Phagocytosis (ADCP).
MorphoSys and Incyte entered into: (a) in January 2020, a collaboration and licensing agreement to develop and commercialize tafasitamab globally; and (b) in February 2024, an agreement whereby Incyte obtained exclusive rights to develop and commercialize tafasitamab globally.
In August 2021, Incyte entered into a collaboration and license agreement with InnoCare for the development and exclusive commercialization of tafasitamab in hematology and oncology in Greater China.
In the United States, Monjuvi® (tafasitamab-cxix) received accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in combination with lenalidomide for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL not otherwise specified, including DLBCL arising from low grade lymphoma, and who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). In Europe, Minjuvi® (tafasitamab) received conditional Marketing Authorization from the European Medicines Agency in combination with lenalidomide, followed by Minjuvi monotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who are not eligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT).
XmAb® is a registered trademark of Xencor, Inc.
Monjuvi, Minjuvi, the Minjuvi and Monjuvi logos and the “triangle” design are registered trademarks of Incyte.
About InnoCare
InnoCare (HKEX: 09969; SSE: 688428) is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class and/or best-in-class drugs for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases with unmet medical needs in China and worldwide. InnoCare has branches in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and United States.
InnoCare Forward-looking Statements
This report contains the disclosure of some forward-looking statements. Except for statements of facts, all other statements can be regarded as forward-looking statements, that is, about our or our management's intentions, plans, beliefs, or expectations that will or may occur in the future. Such statements are assumptions and estimates made by our management based on its experience and knowledge of historical trends, current conditions, expected future development and other related factors. This forward-looking statement does not guarantee future performance, and actual results, development and business decisions may not match the expectations of the forward-looking statement. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to a large number of risks and uncertainties, which may affect our short-term and long-term performance.
1 Hematology Branch of Chinese Medical Association