提前两个月！FDA今日批准青光眼新药上市

2017年12月19日 今日，位于加州的Aerie Pharmaceuticals宣布，美国FDA批准了其青光眼新药Rhopressa（netarsudil ophthalmic solution）0.02%上市，治疗罹患开角型青光眼或高眼压的患者，降低他们的眼内压。值得一提的是，这款新药的原定审评截止日期是2018年2月28日，今天的获批比预期提早了足足两个多月！

　　青光眼是一种常见的影响视力的眼部疾病，也是仅次于白内障的第二大视力杀手。在中国，它是一种相当普遍的眼疾，患者总数可能高达1000万。青光眼的主要病因是眼睛内产生的房水无法正常排出，导致眼压升高。长期的眼压升高会压迫视神经而使其受损，进而造成视力丧失，最终可能会导致失明。青光眼的真正成因并不十分清楚，因此该病无法治愈。通过药物或手术等手段可以降低眼压，以减缓疾病的发展。目前，该领域还有医疗需求未被满足。

　　今日获批的Rhopressa是一款全新的每日一次滴眼液。它针对眼部的小梁网，能调控房水外流，从而降低巩膜静脉压。此外，Rhopressa还可能通过减少眼睛液体的产生来降低眼压。在名为Rocket2和Rocket1的两项3期临床试验中，Rhopressa取得了出色的成果，并基于这些数据向FDA递交了新药上市申请。今年10月，美国FDA的评价对这些数据表示认可，并召集专家小组对这款新药的数据做深入讨论，而专家以9：1的投票，支持Rhopressa上市。

　　“每日一次Rhopressa的获批是Aerie成立以来的最大成就，对开角型青光眼或高眼压的患者以及他们的医生也是令人激动的消息。这是对我们兢兢业业进行多年成功研发的员工，以及他们不可思议的天赋的验证。我们对他们感激不尽。” Aerie的总裁兼首席执行官Vicente Anido, Jr博士说道。

　　按计划，这款新药将在2018年中期正式来到患者身边。而在2018年的第二季度，Aerie的另一款青光眼新药Roclatan也将递交新药上市申请。

　　2017年是不凡的一年。在Rhopressa之前，我们已经见证了42款新药的问世。在今年剩下的10多天里，是否会有更多新药获批，打破2015年45款新药获批的纪录？我们拭目以待！

Generic Name: netarsudil
Dosage Form: ophthalmic solution

Rhopressa (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02% is indicated for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

The recommended dosage is one drop in the affected eye(s) once daily in the evening.

If one dose is missed, treatment should continue with the next dose in the evening. Twice a day dosing is not well tolerated and is not recommended. If Rhopressa is to be used concomitantly with other topical ophthalmic drug products to lower IOP, administer each drug product at least 5 minutes apart [see Patient Counseling Information (17)].

Ophthalmic solution containing 0.2 mg/mL of netarsudil.

None.

There have been reports of bacterial keratitis associated with the use of multiple-dose containers of topical ophthalmic products. These containers had been inadvertently contaminated by patients who, in most cases, had a concurrent corneal disease or a disruption of the ocular epithelial surface [see Patient Counseling Information (17)].

Contact lenses should be removed prior to instillation of Rhopressa and may be reinserted 15 minutes following its administration.

Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

The most common ocular adverse reaction observed in controlled clinical studies with Rhopressa dosed once daily was conjunctival hyperemia which was reported in 53% of patients. Other common (approximately 20%) ocular adverse reactions reported were: corneal verticillata, instillation site pain, and conjunctival hemorrhage. Instillation site erythema, corneal staining, blurred vision, increased lacrimation, erythema of eyelid, and reduced visual acuity were reported in 5-10% of patients.

Corneal Verticillata

Corneal verticillata occurred in approximately 20% of the patients in controlled clinical studies. The corneal verticillata seen in Rhopressa-treated patients were first noted at 4 weeks of daily dosing. This reaction did not result in any apparent visual functional changes in patients. Most corneal verticillata resolved upon discontinuation of treatment.

Risk Summary

There are no available data on Rhopressa use in pregnant women to inform any drug associated risk; however, systemic exposure to netarsudil from ocular administration is low [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)]. Intravenous administration of netarsudil to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis did not produce adverse embryofetal effects at clinically relevant systemic exposures [see Data].

Data

Animal Data

Netarsudil administered daily by intravenous injection to rats during organogenesis caused abortions and embryofetal lethality at doses ≥0.3 mg/kg/day (126-fold the plasma exposure at the recommended human ophthalmic dose [RHOD], based on Cmax). The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) for embryofetal development toxicity was 0.1 mg/kg/day (40-fold the plasma exposure at the RHOD, based on Cmax).

Netarsudil administered daily by intravenous injection to rabbits during organogenesis caused embryofetal lethality and decreased fetal weight at 5 mg/kg/day (1480-fold the plasma exposure at the RHOD, based on Cmax). Malformations were observed at ≥3 mg/kg/day (1330-fold the plasma exposure at the RHOD, based on Cmax), including thoracogastroschisis, umbilical hernia and absent intermediate lung lobe. The NOAEL for embryofetal development toxicity was 0.5 mg/kg/day (214-fold the plasma exposure at the RHOD, based on Cmax).

Risk Summary

There are no data on the presence of Rhopressa in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. However, systemic exposure to netarsudil following topical ocular administration is low [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)], and it is not known whether measurable levels of netarsudil would be present in maternal milk following topical ocular administration.

The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for Rhopressa and any potential adverse effects on the breast-fed child from Rhopressa.

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients below the age of 18 years have not been established.

No overall differences in safety or effectiveness have been observed between elderly and other adult patients.

Netarsudil is a Rho kinase inhibitor. Its chemical name is (S)-4-(3-amino-1-(isoquinolin-6-yl-amino)-1-oxopropan-2-yl) benzyl 2,4-dimethylbenzoate dimesylate. The molecular formula of the free base is C28H27N3O3 and the molecular formula of the dimesylate is C30H35N3O9S2. The molecular weight of the free base is 453.54 and the molecular weight of the dimesylate is 645.74. The chemical structure is:

Netarsudil dimesylate is a light yellow-to-white powder that is freely soluble in water, soluble in methanol, sparingly soluble in dimethyl formamide, and practically insoluble in dichloromethane and heptane.

Rhopressa (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02% is supplied as a sterile, isotonic, buffered aqueous solution of netarsudil dimesylate with a pH of approximately 5 and an osmolality of approximately 295 mOsmol/kg. It is intended for topical application in the eye. Each mL of Rhopressa contains 0.2 mg of netarsudil (equivalent to 0.28 mg of netarsudil dimesylate). Benzalkonium chloride, 0.015%, is added as a preservative. The inactive ingredients are: boric acid, mannitol, sodium hydroxide to adjust pH, and water for injection.

Netarsudil is a rho kinase inhibitor, which is believed to reduce IOP by increasing the outflow of aqueous humor through the trabecular meshwork route. The exact mechanism is unknown.

Absorption

The systemic exposures of netarsudil and its active metabolite, AR-13503, were evaluated in 18 healthy subjects after topical ocular administration of Rhopressa 0.02% once daily (one drop bilaterally in the morning) for 8 days. There were no quantifiable plasma concentrations of netarsudil (lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) 0.100 ng/mL) post dose on Day 1 and Day 8. Only one plasma concentration at 0.11 ng/mL for the active metabolite was observed for one subject on Day 8 at 8 hours post-dose.

Metabolism

After topical ocular dosing, netarsudil is metabolized by esterases in the eye.

Long-term studies in animals have not been performed to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of netarsudil. Netarsudil was not mutagenic in the Ames test, in the mouse lymphoma test, or in the in vivo rat micronucleus test. Studies to evaluate the effects of netarsudil on male or female fertility in animals have not been performed.

Rhopressa 0.02% was evaluated in three randomized and controlled clinical trials, namely AR-13324-CS301 (NCT 02207491, referred to as Study 301), AR-13324-CS302 (NCT 02207621, referred to as Study 302), and AR-13324-CS304 (NCT 02558374, referred to as Study 304), in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Studies 301 and 302 enrolled subjects with baseline IOP lower than 27 mmHg and Study 304 enrolled subjects with baseline IOP lower than 30 mmHg. The treatment duration was 3 months in Study 301, 12 months in Study 302, and 6 months in Study 304.

The three studies demonstrated up to 5 mmHg reductions in IOP for subjects treated with Rhopressa 0.02% once daily in the evening. For patients with baseline IOP < 25 mmHg, the IOP reductions with Rhopressa 0.02% dosed once daily were similar to those with timolol 0.5% dosed twice daily (see Table 1). For patients with baseline IOP equal to or above 25 mmHg, however, Rhopressa 0.02% resulted in smaller mean IOP reductions at the morning time points than timolol 0.5% for study visits on Days 43 and 90; the difference in mean IOP reduction between the two treatment groups was as high as 3 mmHg, favoring timolol.

Table 1: Mean IOP Change from Baseline of Study Eye (mmHg) by Visit and Time

This table was produced based on the observed data from all randomized subjects who did not have major protocol violations. The treatment differences and two-sided CIs for comparing Rhopressa QD vs Timolol BID 0.5% were based on Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for baseline IOP.

Rhopressa® (netarsudil ophthalmic solution) 0.02% (0.2 mg per mL) is supplied sterile in opaque white low density polyethylene bottles and tips with white polypropylene caps.

2.5 mL fill in a 4 mL container
NDC # 70727-497-25

Storage: Store at 2°C to 8°C (36°F to 46°F) until opened. After opening, the product may be kept at 2°C to 25°C (36°F to 77°F) for up to 6 weeks. During shipment, the bottle may be maintained at temperatures up to 40°C (104°F) for a period not exceeding 14 days.

Handling the Container

Instruct patients to avoid allowing the tip of the dispensing container to contact the eye, surrounding structures, fingers, or any other surface in order to minimize contamination of the solution. Serious damage to the eye and subsequent loss of vision may result from using contaminated solutions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].

When to Seek Physician Advice

Advise patients that if they develop an intercurrent ocular condition (e.g., trauma or infection), have ocular surgery, or develop any ocular reactions, particularly conjunctivitis and eyelid reactions, they should immediately seek their physician’s advice concerning the continued use of Rhopressa.

Use with Contact Lenses

Advise patients that Rhopressa contains benzalkonium chloride, which may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Contact lenses should be removed prior to instillation of Rhopressa and may be reinserted 15 minutes following its administration.

Use with Other Ophthalmic Drugs

Advise patients that if more than one topical ophthalmic drug is being used, the drugs should be administered at least 5 minutes between applications.

Missed Dose

Advise patients that if one dose is missed, treatment should continue with the next dose in the evening.

U.S. Patent Nos.: 8,450,344; 8,394,826; 9,096,569; 9,415,043

Rhopressa is a registered trademark of Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Manufactured for: Aerie Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Irvine, CA 92614, U.S.A.

Revised: 12/2017

Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc.