EU/3/21/2518 - orphan designation for treatment of pancreatic cancer

paclitaxel
polyoligo(ethylene glycol)methacrylate-co-poly(vinylbenzyldithiodibutyric acid-gemcitabine)
Orphan Human

Overview

This medicine was designated as an orphan medicine for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in the European Union on 12 November 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:

This medicine is formed from 2 already-authorised cancer medicines, paclitaxel and gemcitabine. Paclitaxel works by interfering with the arrangement of tubulin, a process needed for cells to divide and grow, and also slows the breakdown of gemcitabine so it acts for longer. Gemcitabine disrupts the production of DNA needed for cancer growth. Together these actions prevent cancer cells from growing, and they eventually die.

Paclitaxel-gemcitabine combination therapy is already authorized for pancreatic cancer patients. The delivery of paclitaxel and gemcitabine in an ultra-small micelle (particles) is expected to increase the penetration and accumulation of these medicines within dense tumor tissue. Once lodged in a tumor, micelles slowly release their contents enabling more direct and longer-lasting activity against cancer cells.

Based on description provided by sponsor

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

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 5-7 October 2021

Adopted

English (EN) (469.23 KB - PDF)

First published:
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Key facts

Active substance
  • paclitaxel
  • polyoligo(ethylene glycol)methacrylate-co-poly(vinylbenzyldithiodibutyric acid-gemcitabine)
Intended use
Treatment of pancreatic cancer
Orphan designation status
Positive
EU designation number
EU/3/21/2518
Date of designation
Sponsor

Duo Oncology Europe B.V.
Floor 2nd
De Cuserstraat 93
1081 CN Amsterdam
Noord-Holland
Netherlands
E-mail: info@duooncology.com

Update history

Date Update
December 2021 Sponsorship transferred from Karma Oncology B.V. to Duo Oncology Europe B.V, The Netherlands.

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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