US FDA grants priority review status to Novartis’ sickle cell molecule crizanlizumab

Novartis announced the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted the company’s Biologics License Application (BLA) and has granted Priority Review for its investigational sickle cell medicine crizanlizumab (SEG101). If FDA-approved, crizanlizumab is expected to represent the first monoclonal antibody targeting the P-selectin mediated multi-cellular adhesion in sickle cell disease.

Novartis submitted the application for crizanlizumab for the prevention of vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and was granted Breakthrough Therapy designation in December 2018.

Priority Review is granted to therapies that the FDA determines have the potential to provide significant improvements in the treatment, diagnosis, or prevention of serious conditions. The designation is intended to shorten the FDA review period to six months from the standard ten months.Crizanlizumab (SEG101) is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody blocking P-selectin mediated multicellular adhesion that is in late-stage development for the prevention of vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), also known as pain crises, in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Crizanlizumab binds to a molecule called P-selectin on the surface of platelets and endothelium in the blood vessels, and has been shown to inhibit interactions between endothelial cells, platelets, red blood cells, sickled red blood cells, and leukocytes. P-selectin is one of the major drivers of the vaso-occlusive process. Our goal is to deepen understanding of the true impact of VOCs on patients’ bodies and lives and to explore how crizanlizumab can help to achieve more pain-crisis-free days for patients with SCD.