ChemoCentryx gets U.S. FDA nod for drug to treat rare autoimmune disease (updated)

Churchill Capital XI

08/10/2021 12:28

(Adds details on approval, background)
 (.)
    Oct 8 (Reuters) - Biopharmaceutical company ChemoCentryx Inc
 CCXI.O  said on Friday the U.S. drug regulator approved its
lead drug for treating a rare, fatal autoimmune disease.
    The company said it expected to make Avacopan, sold under
the brand name "Tavneos" available to clinicians and patients in
the next few weeks. 
    Avacopan is an orally-administered drug candidate to treat
antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated
vasculitides (AAV) — a group of conditions characterized by
destruction and inflammation of small blood vessels and
affecting different organs, particularly the kidney.
    It had received mixed reviews from an expert panel to the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May, with the
committee's vote split 9-9 on whether the efficacy data
supported the drug's approval.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nGNX3LLLhw
    Following this meeting, the company submitted in July
additional data for its marketing application for Avacopan. 
    Avacopan works by blocking the activity of a protein called
C5a receptor which is responsible for causing numerous
inflammatory diseases. 
    
    

 (Reporting by Oishee Majumdar and Dania Nadeem in Bengaluru;
Editing by Anil D'Silva and Rashmi Aich)
 ((oishee.majumdar@thomsonreuters.com;))