Overview

This medicine was designated as an orphan medicine for the treatment of multiple myeloma in the European Union on 20 August 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 medicinal product has been authorised in the EU as Talvey since 21 August 2023

Talquetamab, also known as JNJ-64407564, is an antibody, a protein that attaches to specific targets in the body. The targets for talquetamab are CD3, a protein found on T-cells (part of the immune system, the body’s natural defences) and GPRC5D, a protein found on the surface of myeloma cells. By attaching to both a T-cell and a myeloma cell, the medicine brings them into contact, encouraging the T-cell to attack and destroy the cancerous cell. This is expected to reduce growth of the cancer and control its symptoms.

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 multiple myeloma 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 13-15 July 2021

AdoptedReference Number: EMA/COMP/424709/2021

English (EN) (306.71 KB - PDF)

First published:
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Key facts

Active substance
Talquetamab
Intended use
Treatment of multiple myeloma
Orphan designation status
Positive
EU designation number
EU/3/21/2486
Date of designation
Sponsor

Janssen-Cilag International N.V.
Turnhoutseweg 30
2340 Beerse Antwerp
Belgium
E-mail: nbuhl@its.jnj.com

Review of designation

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

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

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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