Adakveo

  • Procedure started
  • Under evaluation
  • CHMP opinion
  • European Commission final decision

Table of contents

Current status
Opinion provided by Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use

Overview

EMA recommends revocation of authorisation for sickle cell disease medicine Adakveo

EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended revoking the marketing authorisation for Adakveo (crizanlizumab), a medicine for preventing painful crises (called vaso-occlusive crises) in patients aged 16 years and older with sickle cell disease.

This follows a review by the CHMP, which concluded that the benefits of the medicine did not outweigh its risks. The review looked at results of the STAND study, which compared the effectiveness and safety of Adakveo with placebo (a dummy treatment) in patients who had previously had painful crises leading to a healthcare visit.

The study showed that Adakveo did not reduce the number of painful crises leading to a healthcare visit. Patients treated with Adakveo had on average 2.5 painful crises with a subsequent healthcare visit over the first year of treatment, compared with 2.3 crises in the placebo group.

In addition, the average number of crises requiring a healthcare visit or treatment at home was 4.7 with Adakveo compared with 3.9 with placebo.

In its review, the CHMP also looked at data from other studies, a managed access program and real‑world data. However, the studies had several limitations, such as the lack of a comparator, and could not be used to show the effect of Adakveo or counterbalance the negative results of the STAND study.

In terms of safety, the STAND study did not raise new concerns but showed a higher rate of severe and serious treatment-related side effects for Adakveo compared with placebo. The CHMP therefore concluded that its benefits do not outweigh the risks.

At the time of marketing authorisation, data showed that Adakveo was effective at reducing the number of painful crises in patients with sickle cell disease. However, the data were limited and there was some uncertainty about the size of the medicine’s effect.

EMA therefore requested the STAND study as a condition for the marketing authorisation of Adakveo, which was granted in October 2020. As the STAND study results do not confirm the benefits previously seen with Adakveo, the CHMP has now concluded that the benefits do not outweigh the risks and recommended the revocation of its authorisation in the EU.

Following the CHMP’s recommendation, the European Commission will issue a legally binding decision. Patients who have any questions should speak to their doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Key facts

About this medicine
Approved name
Adakveo
International non-proprietary name (INN) or common name
crizanlizumab
Associated names
Adakveo
Class
Other haematological agents
About this procedure
Current status
Opinion provided by Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use
Reference number
EMEA/H/A-20/1525/C/4874/0013
Type
Article 20 procedures

This type of procedure is triggered for medicines that have been authorised via the centralised procedure in case of quality, safety or efficacy issues.
Authorisation model
Centrally authorised product(s)
Decision making model
CHMP-EC
Key dates and outcomes
CHMP opinion date
25/05/2023

All documents

Procedure started

Opinion provided by Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use

Description of documents published

Please note that some of the listed documents apply only to certain procedures.

  • Overview - lay-language summary of the stage of the procedure
  • Notification – a letter from a Member State, the European Commission or the marketing authorisation holder requesting the initiation of the procedure
  • Scientific background – further background information from the triggering Member State on the issues leading to the initiation of the procedure (if applicable)
  • List of questions – questions agreed by the Committee requesting further information from the marketing authorisation holder(s) / applicant(s) to evaluate the issues identified
  • Timetable for the procedure – agreed timeframe to respond to the list of questions, to assess the issues and to adopt a conclusion
  • List of medicines concerned by the procedure – medicine(s) / active substance(s) concerned, and marketing authorisation holder(s) / applicant(s)
  • List of questions to be addressed by the stakeholders – call for data to be submitted by stakeholders (e.g. healthcare professionals, patient organisations, individual patients) (if applicable)
  • Stakeholder submission form – form to be used by stakeholders to submit data (if applicable)
  • Scientific conclusions – scientific conclusions of the PRAC and/or CHMP and/or CMDh
  • Assessment report – PRAC or CHMP assessment and conclusions on the issues investigated, including divergent positions (if applicable)
  • Divergent positions – divergent positions of the CHMP or CMDh members for pharmacovigilance procedures (if applicable)
  • Changes to the summary of product characteristics, labelling and package leaflet (amended sections or fully revised version) (if applicable)
  • Condition(s) to the marketing authorisation(s) – condition(s) for the safe and effective use of the medicine(s) (if applicable)
  • Condition for lifting the suspension – condition to be fulfilled for the suspension of the marketing authorisation(s) to be lifted (if applicable)
  • Timetable for implementation of CMDh position – agreed timeframe to submit and finalise the variation(s) implementing the outcome of the procedure (if applicable)

Note that older documents may have different titles.

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