Overview

This medicine was designated as an orphan medicine for the treatment of uveal melanoma in the European Union on 19 February 2021.

This means that the developer will receive scientific and regulatory support from EMA to advance their medicine to the stage where they can apply for a marketing authorisation.

Orphan designation does not mean the medicine is available or authorised for use. All medicines, including designated orphan medicines, must be authorised before they can be marketed and made available to patients in the EU.

During the medicine's development, doctors may be able to enrol patients in clinical trials investigating the medicine. For information on ongoing clinical trials in the EU, see:

The medicine contains a protein that recognises and attaches two targets simultaneously, the proteins gp100 on the surface of melanoma cells and CD3 on the surface of T cells (which are part of the body’s natural defences). By attaching these proteins, tebentafusp brings the tumour cells and T cells into contact, which triggers the T cells to kill the melanoma cells.

At the time of submission of the application for orphan designation:

The effects of the medicine had been evaluated in experimental models.

Clinical trials with the medicine in patients with uveal melanoma were ongoing.

More information on how potential new medicines are tested during their development is available on Authorisation of medicines.

Medicines intended for rare diseases can be granted an orphan designation during their development.

The orphan designation allows the developer to benefit from:

  • scientific and regulatory support to advance their medicine to the stage where they can request marketing authorisation;
  • market exclusivity once the medicine is on the market.

To qualify for orphan designation, a medicine must meet a number of criteria:

  • it must be intended for the treatment, prevention or diagnosis of a disease that is life-threatening or chronically debilitating;
  • the prevalence of the condition in the EU must not be more than 5 in 10,000 or it must be unlikely that marketing of the medicine would generate sufficient returns to justify the investment needed for its development;
  • there are no satisfactory alternative methods for the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of the condition or, if such a method exists, the medicine is of significant benefit to those affected by the condition.

EMA's Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) is responsible for issuing opinions on applications for orphan designations.

The Agency sends the COMP opinion to the European Commission, which is responsible for granting the orphan designation. The full list of orphan designations is available in the Community register of orphan medicinal products for human use.

For more information, see:

Minutes of the COMP meeting 19-21 January 2021

AdoptedReference Number: EMA/COMP/64530/2021

English (EN) (542.82 KB - PDF)

First published:
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Key facts

Active substance
Tebentafusp
Intended use
Treatment of uveal melanoma
Orphan designation status
Positive
EU designation number
EU/3/21/2397
Date of designation
Sponsor

Immunocore Ireland Limited
Unit 1 Sky Business Centres Unit 21 Block Port Tunnel Business Park
Clonshaugh
Dublin D17 FY82
Ireland
E-mail: info@immunocore.com

Review of designation

The Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products reviewed the orphan designation of Kimmtrak at the time of marketing authorisation, and confirmed that the orphan designation should be maintained.

More information is available in the Kimmtrak : Orphan maintenance assessment report (initial authorisation).

Update history

The sponsorship was transferred to Immunocore Ireland Limited, in June 2021.

The sponsor’s address was updated in July 2021.

Sponsor Pharma Gateway AB applied for transfer to Immunocore Ireland Limited after receiving EC decision of orphan designation in Feb 2021

The medicinal product has been authorised in the EU as Kimmtrak since 1 April 2022.

EMA list of opinions on orphan medicinal product designation

EMA publishes information on orphan medicinal product designation adopted by the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) on the IRIS online platform:

Patients' organisations

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.

EU register of orphan medicines

The list of medicines that have received an orphan designation in the EU is available on the European Commission's website:

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