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In addition to the noteworthy first-in-class and orphan-designated drugs mentioned above, the 2017 novel drug field also includes these notable examples --- approved for the first time in the United States, and likely to significantly improve the care of patients with the diseases noted below:

A wide range of notable novel approvals in 2017 helps to enhance public health in the United States.

• Aliqopa (copanlisib) to treat adults with relapsed follicular lymphoma --- a slow-growing type of nonHodgkin lymphoma (a cancer of the lymph system) --- who have received at least two prior systemic therapies;

• Bavencio (avelumab) for the treatment of patients 12 years and older with a rare and aggressive form of cancer called metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma, including those who have not received prior chemotherapy;

• Benznidazole to treat children ages 2 to 12 years with Chagas disease, a parasitic infection that can cause serious heart illness after years of infection, and can also affect swallowing and digestion. This is the first treatment approved in the United States for this rare disease;

• Besponsa (inotuzumab ozogamicin) for the treatment of adults with a type of cancer of the blood called relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia;

• Calquence (acalabrutinib) to treat adults with mantle cell lymphoma who have received at least one prior therapy. Mantle cell lymphoma is a particularly aggressive cancer;

• Emflaza (deflazacort) to treat patients age 5 years and older with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle deterioration and weakness;

• Giapreza (angiotensin II), for the treatment of hypotension in adults with distributive or vasodilatory shock (dangerously low blood pressure despite adequate heart function) whose blood pressure remains low despite receiving fluids and treatment with drugs called vasopressors;

• Idhifa (enasidenib) for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, a form of blood cancer, who have a specific genetic mutation;

• Ingrezza (valbenazine) to treat adults with tardive dyskinesia, a side effect of some antipsychotic medications whereby patients can experience uncontrollable stiff, jerky movements of their face and body, and other uncontrolled movements such as eye-blinking, sticking out the tongue, and arm-waving;

• Mavyret (glecaprevir and pibrentasvir) to treat adults with chronic hepatitis C virus genotypes 1-6 without cirrhosis (liver disease) or with mild cirrhosis, including patients with moderate to severe kidney disease, as well as those who are on hemodialysis;

• Mepsevii (vestronidase alfa-vjbk) to treat patients with Sly syndrome or mucopolysaccharidosis type 7 – a rare genetic disorder where an enzyme deficiency results in skeletal abnormalities, developmental delay, enlarged liver and spleen, and narrowed airways, which can lead to respiratory infections;

• Nerlynx (neratinib) for the extended adjuvant treatment --- a form of therapy administered after an initial treatment to further lower the risk of the cancer coming back --- of early-stage, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer;

• Prevymis (letermovir) for prevention of an infection called cytomegalovirus (CMV) in patients who are receiving a bone marrow transplant. CMV disease can cause serious health issues in these patients;

• Radicava (edaravone) to treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a rare disease that attacks and kills the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles;

• Rydapt (midostaurin) to treat adults newly diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as acute myeloid leukemia who have a specific genetic mutation called FLT3, in combination with chemotherapy;

• Siliq (brodalumab) to treat adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, a chronic disorder in which the body’s immune system sends out faulty signals that speed growth of skin cells that then accumulate, causing red, flaky patches that can appear anywhere on the body;

• Symproic (naldemedine) for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in adults with chronic noncancer pain;

• Tremfya (guselkumab) for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis;

• Trulance (plecanatide) to treat adults with chronic idiopathic constipation, which is a persistent condition of constipation due to unknown origin;

• Vabomere (vaborbactam and meropenem) for treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis (kidney infection) caused by bacteria;

• Verzenio (abemaciclib) to treat adults who have hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer that has progressed after taking therapy that alters a patient’s hormones (endocrine therapy);

• Vosevi (sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir) to treat adults with chronic hepatitis C virus genotypes 1-6 without cirrhosis (liver disease) or with mild cirrhosis;

• Xadago (safinamide) as an add-on treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease who are currently taking levodopa/carbidopa and experiencing "off" episodes;

• Xermelo (telotristat ethyl) combined with somatostatin analog (SSA) therapy to treat adults with carcinoid syndrome diarrhea that SSA therapy alone has inadequately controlled, and;

• Zejula (niraparib) for the maintenance treatment (intended to delay cancer growth) of adults with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, whose tumors have completely or partially shrunk (complete or partial response, respectively) in response to platinum-based chemotherapy.

Written by

Janet Woodcock, M.D.

Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA

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