Incyte provides regulatory update on Ruxolitinib extended relief

Incyte "announced that the FDA has issued a complete response letter for ruxolitinib extended-release tablets, a JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor, for once-daily use in the treatment of certain types of myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera and graft-versus-host disease. The complete response letter states that the FDA cannot approve the application in its present form. The FDA acknowledged that the study submitted in the New Drug Application met its objective of bioequivalence based on area under the curve parameters but identified additional requirements for approval. Incyte intends to meet with the FDA to determine appropriate next steps. The NDA was based on two studies designed to show that ruxolitinib XR tablets are dosage strength proportional and bioequivalent to Jakafi(R) (ruxolitinib) tablets. The first study was designed to determine the relative bioavailability of ruxolitinib XR tablets to Jakafi tablets and to demonstrate that ruxolitinib XR tablets are dosage strength proportional to Jakafi tablets. The second study was an open-label, randomized, two-period, two-way crossover study in 63 healthy adults evaluating the bioequivalence of the highest strength of ruxolitinib XR tablets (50 mg) dosed once-daily (QD) to the highest strength of Jakafi tablets (25 mg) dosed twice-daily (BID), following a single dose and at steady-state. Study results demonstrated that ruxolitinib XR 50 mg tablets dosed QD is bioequivalent to Jakafi 25 mg tablets dosed BID, based on AUC parameters."