WILMINGTON, Del.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– AstraZeneca today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track designation for the development of FARXIGA (dapagliflozin) to reduce the risk of cardiovascular (CV) death or the worsening of heart failure in adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
The FDA’s Fast Track program is designed to accelerate the development and review of new medicines for the treatment of serious conditions where there is an unmet treatment need.
Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, said: “Heart failure affects approximately 64 million people worldwide, and about half will die within five years of diagnosis. This Fast Track designation for FARXIGA brings us closer to fulfilling our ambition to help prevent, treat and cure heart failure, and we look forward to working with the FDA to explore FARXIGA as a potential new treatment option for heart failure patients.”
The Fast Track designation is based on two Phase III trials, DAPA-HF and DELIVER, which investigated the role of FARXIGA in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), respectively.
FARXIGA is currently approved as a monotherapy and as part of combination therapy to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In August 2019 the FDA granted Fast Track designation for the development of FARXIGA to delay the progression of renal failure and prevent CV and renal death in patients with chronic kidney disease. FARXIGA is not indicated to reduce the risk of HF, CV death or kidney disease.
Indication and Limitations of Use for FARXIGA® (dapagliflozin) tablets
FARXIGA is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
FARXIGA is not recommended for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus or for the treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Important Safety Information for FARXIGA® (dapagliflozin) tablets
Contraindications
- Prior serious hypersensitivity reaction to FARXIGA
- Severe renal impairment (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2), end-stage renal disease, or patients on dialysis
Warnings and Precautions
- Hypotension: FARXIGA causes intravascular volume contraction, and symptomatic hypotension can occur. Assess and correct volume status before initiating FARXIGA in patients with impaired renal function, elderly patients, or patients on loop diuretics. Monitor for hypotension
- Ketoacidosis has been reported in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes receiving FARXIGA. Some cases were fatal. Assess patients who present with signs and symptoms of metabolic acidosis for ketoacidosis, regardless of blood glucose level. If suspected, discontinue FARXIGA, evaluate and treat promptly. Before initiating FARXIGA, consider risk factors for ketoacidosis. Patients on FARXIGA may require monitoring and temporary discontinuation in situations known to predispose to ketoacidosis
- Acute Kidney Injury and Impairment in Renal Function: FARXIGA causes intravascular volume contraction and renal impairment, with reports of acute kidney injury requiring hospitalization and dialysis. Consider temporarily discontinuing in settings of reduced oral intake or fluid losses. If acute kidney injury occurs, discontinue and promptly treat.
FARXIGA increases serum creatinine and decreases eGFR. Elderly patients and patients with impaired renal function may be more susceptible to these changes. Before initiating FARXIGA, evaluate renal function and monitor periodically. FARXIGA is not recommended when the eGFR is <45 mL/min/1.73 m2
- Urosepsis and Pyelonephritis: SGLT2 inhibitors increase the risk for urinary tract infections [UTIs] and serious UTIs have been reported with FARXIGA. Evaluate for signs and symptoms of UTIs and treat promptly
- Hypoglycemia: FARXIGA can increase the risk of hypoglycemia when coadministered with insulin and insulin secretagogues. Consider lowering the dose of these agents when coadministered with FARXIGA
- Necrotizing Fasciitis of the Perineum (Fournier’s Gangrene): Rare but serious, life-threatening cases have been reported in patients receiving SGLT2 inhibitors including FARXIGA. Cases have been reported in females and males. Serious outcomes have included hospitalization, surgeries, and death. Assess patients presenting with pain or tenderness, erythema, swelling in the genital or perineal area, along with fever or malaise. If suspected, institute prompt treatment and discontinue FARXIGA.
- Genital Mycotic Infections: FARXIGA increases the risk of genital mycotic infections, particularly in patients with prior genital mycotic infections. Monitor and treat appropriately
- Increases in Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) occur with FARXIGA. Monitor LDL-C and treat per standard of care
- Bladder cancer: An imbalance in bladder cancers was observed in clinical trials. There were too few cases to determine whether the emergence of these events is related to FARXIGA, and insufficient data to determine whether FARXIGA has an effect on pre-existing bladder tumors. FARXIGA should not be used in patients with active bladder cancer. Use with caution in patients with a history of bladder cancer
- Macrovascular Outcomes: There have been no clinical studies establishing conclusive evidence of macrovascular risk reduction with FARXIGA
Adverse Reactions
In a pool of 12 placebo-controlled studies, the most common adverse reactions (≥5%) associated with FARXIGA 5 mg, 10 mg, and placebo respectively were female genital mycotic infections (8.4% vs 6.9% vs 1.5%), nasopharyngitis (6.6% vs 6.3% vs 6.2%), and urinary tract infections (5.7% vs 4.3% vs 3.7%).
Use in Specific Populations
- Pregnancy: Advise females of potential risk to a fetus especially during the second and third trimesters.
- Lactation: FARXIGA is not recommended when breastfeeding.
Please see accompanying US Full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for FARXIGA.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About heart failure
Heart failure (HF) is a life-threatening disease in which the heart cannot pump enough blood around the body. It affects approximately 6.5 million people in the US (half of which have a reduced ejection fraction) and is a chronic and degenerative disease where half of patients will die within five years of diagnosis. HF remains as ‘malignant’ as some of the most common cancers in both men (prostate and bladder cancers) and women (breast cancers). It is the leading cause of hospitalization for those over the age of 65 and represents a significant clinical and economic burden.
About the DapaCare Clinical Program
AstraZeneca is taking a holistic, patient-centric approach to disease management by addressing the underlying morbidity, mortality and organ damage associated with CV, metabolic and renal diseases. Due to the interconnectivity of these diseases, AstraZeneca has developed the DapaCare clinical program to explore the CV and renal profile of FARXIGA in people with and without T2D. The clinical program will enroll nearly 30,000 patients in randomized clinical trials and is supported by a multinational real-world evidence study. DapaCare will generate data across a spectrum of patients with established CV disease, CV risk factors and varying stages of renal disease, both with and without T2D, providing healthcare providers with evidence needed to improve patient outcomes.
FARXIGA is also being developed for patients with heart failure in the DELIVER (HFpEF) and DETERMINE (HFrEF and HFpEF) trials, in addition to chronic kidney disease in the DAPA-CKD trial. DapaCare underscores our commitment to following the science by pursuing a holistic patient approach to address the multiple risk factors associated with CV, renal and metabolic diseases. FARXIGA is not indicated to reduce the risk of heart failure, CV death or kidney disease.
About AstraZeneca in CV, Renal & Metabolism (CVMD)
CV, renal and metabolism together form one of AstraZeneca’s main therapy areas and a key growth driver for the Company. By following the science to understand more clearly the underlying links between the heart, kidneys and pancreas, AstraZeneca is investing in a portfolio of medicines to protect organs and improve outcomes by slowing disease progression, reducing risks and tackling co-morbidities. Our ambition is to modify or halt the natural course of CVMD diseases and potentially regenerate organs and restore function, by continuing to deliver transformative science that improves treatment practices and CV health for millions of patients worldwide.
About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas – Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism and Respiratory. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information, please visit www.astrazeneca-us.com and follow us on Twitter @AstraZenecaUS.
US-32884 Last Updated 9/19
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