NMPA Accepts NDA and Grants Priority Review Designation to Innovent's Ipilimumab Injection, China's First Domestic CTLA-4 Inhibitor, in Combination with Sintilimab as Neoadjuvant Treatment for Colon Cancer
24 February 2025
Innovent Biologics, Inc. a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of oncology, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune, ophthalmology and other major diseases, announces that the New Drug Application (NDA) for ipilimumab injection (anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody; R&D Code: IBI310) has been accepted by the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and granted Priority Review designation[1] in combination with sintilimab as neoadjuvant treatment for resectable microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colon cancer.
This is China's first NDA for a domestic CTLA-4 inhibitor and another milestone strengthening sintilimab's leadership position in cancer immunotherapy. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy targeting PD-1 and CTLA-4 has transformed oncology treatment, ipilimumab with sintilimab as a neoadjuvant treatment could increase R0 resection rate, achieve pathological complete response, and relieve the majority of patients from adjuvant chemotherapy burdens. This novel treatment is also expected to reduce recurrence rate and improve long-term prognosis, anticipated to benefit MSI-H/dMMR colon cancer patients upon NDA approval.
The NDA acceptance and Priority Review designation are based on results from a randomized, controlled, multicenter, pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial (NeoShot, NCT05890742) which evaluated the safety and efficacy of ipilimumab combined with sintilimab as neoadjuvant therapy and as compared with direct radical surgery for MSI-H/dMMR colon cancer. The primary endpoints are pathologic complete response (pCR) rate and event-free survival (EFS). Interim analysis by the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) showed that the NeoShot trial has met its primary endpoint. Detailed results will be presented at future academic conferences or published in academic journals.
Dr. Hui Zhou, Senior Vice President of Innovent, stated: "There is a huge unmet clinical need for neoadjuvant therapy of resectable MSI-H/dMMR colon cancer in China. Interim analysis showed that the NeoShot trial has met its primary endpoint. With Innovent's highly efficient and high-quality clinical development, ipilimumab has become China's first domestic CTLA-4 inhibitor to submit an NDA. We will actively cooperate with regulatory authorities to accelerate approval, and provide a new treatment option for patients with resectable MSI-H/dMMR colon cancer in China."
Ipilimumab (R&D code: IBI310) is a fully human monoclonal antibody injection independently developed by Innovent. Ipilimumab can specifically bind cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), thereby blocking CTLA-4 mediated T cell inhibition, promoting T cell activation and proliferation, improving tumor immune response, and achieving anti-tumor effects. iii
The NDA for ipilimumab in combination with sintilimab as neoadjuvant treatment for resectable microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colon cancer is under the NMPA review and has been granted Priority Review designation.
Sintilimab, marketed as TYVYT® (sintilimab injection) in China, is a PD-1 immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody co-developed by Innovent and Eli Lilly and Company. Sintilimab is a type of immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody, which binds to PD-1 molecules on the surface of T-cells, blocks the PD-1 / PD-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway, and reactivates T-cells to kill cancer cells.iv
Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to empower patients worldwide with affordable, high-quality biopharmaceuticals. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that target some of the most intractable diseases. Its pioneering therapies treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has launched 14 products in the market. It has 4 new drug applications under regulatory review, 2 assets in Phase III or pivotal clinical trials and 17 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare companies, including Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Incyte, Adimab, LG Chem and MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Guided by the motto, "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent maintains the highest standard of industry practices and works collaboratively to advance the biopharmaceutical industry so that first-rate pharmaceutical drugs can become widely accessible. For more information, visit www.innoventbio.com, or follow Innovent on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Source: prnewswire.com