On 8 November 2017, orphan designation (EU/3/17/1936) was granted by the European Commission to Worldwide Clinical Trials Limited, United Kingdom, for 1-[4-bromo-5-[1-ethyl-7-(methylamino)-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-1,6-naphthyridin-3-yl]-2-fluorophenyl]-3-phenylurea (also known as DCC-2618) for the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumours.
The sponsorship was transferred to Pharma Gateway AB, Sweden, in May 2018.
The sponsorship was transferred to Deciphera Pharmaceuticals (Netherlands) B.V., Netherlands, in July 2020.
The sponsor’s address was updated in August 2021.
Ripretinib has been authorised in the EU as Qinlock since 18 November 2021.
Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are a group of cancers of the stomach and bowel called sarcomas, which are characterised by uncontrolled growth of cells in the supporting tissues of these organs. Symptoms include bleeding, anaemia (low red blood cell counts), tiredness, and abdominal (belly) pain and discomfort. GIST are most common in the stomach (60%), followed by the small intestine (30%), and then the colon and rectum (5%). GIST occur predominantly in middle-aged and older people, and are considered life threatening because the tumours could come back and also spread to other organs.
At the time of designation, GIST affected approximately 1.6 in 10,000 people in the European Union (EU). This was equivalent to a total of around 83,000 people*, and is below the ceiling for orphan designation, which is 5 people in 10,000. This is based on the information provided by the sponsor and the knowledge of the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP).
*Disclaimer: For the purpose of the designation, the number of patients affected by the condition is estimated and assessed on the basis of data from the European Union (EU 28), Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. This represents a population of 515,700,000 (Eurostat 2017).
At the time of designation, GIST were treated mainly by surgery to remove the tumour. The medicines imatinib, sunitinib and regorafenib were authorised in the EU for the treatment of GIST that had spread and could not be surgically removed.
The sponsor has provided sufficient information to show that this medicine might be of significant benefit for patients with GIST because data from early studies showed that it had a beneficial effect in patients whose tumour could not be treated with available medicines or had grown after such treatments. This assumption will need to be confirmed at the time of marketing authorisation, in order to maintain the orphan status.
In GIST cells, two types of tyrosine kinase enzymes, KIT and PDGFRA, may be abnormal and overactive, which causes GIST cells to multiply out of control. The medicine stops these enzymes from working, including abnormal forms that cannot be blocked by other medicines. Giving the medicine by mouth is expected to stop GIST cells from multiplying and so slow down the growth of the tumours and reduce symptoms of the disease.
The effects of the medicine have been evaluated in experimental models.
At the time of submission of the application for orphan designation, clinical trials with the medicine in patients with GIST were ongoing.
At the time of submission, the medicine was not authorised anywhere in the EU for GIST. Orphan designation of the medicine had been granted in United States for GIST.
In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 141/2000 of 16 December 1999, the COMP adopted a positive opinion on 5 October 2017 recommending the granting of this designation.
Designated orphan medicinal products are products that are still under investigation and are considered for orphan designation on the basis of potential activity. An orphan designation is not a marketing authorisation. As a consequence, demonstration of quality, safety and efficacy is necessary before a product can be granted a marketing authorisation.
Deciphera Pharmaceuticals (Netherlands) B.V.
Atrium Building Floor 4th
Strawinskylaan 3051
Amsterdam
Noord-Holland
1077 ZX
Netherlands
Tel: +31 20 301 2200
E-mail: regulatory@deciphera.com
The Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products reviewed the orphan designation of Qinlock at the time of marketing authorisation, and confirmed that the orphan designation should be maintained.
More information is available in the Qinlock : Orphan maintenance assessment report (initial authorisation).
EMA publishes information on orphan medicinal product designation adopted by the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) on the IRIS online platform:
For contact details of patients’ organisations whose activities are targeted at rare diseases, see:
European Organisation for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS), a non-governmental alliance of patient organisations and individuals active in the field of rare diseases.
Orphanet, a database containing information on rare diseases, which includes a directory of patients’ organisations registered in Europe.
The list of medicines that have received an orphan designation in the EU is available on the European Commission's website: