Biogen completes rolling submission of NDA to FDA for nusinersen as a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy

Submission of Marketing Authorization Application to the EMA planned in the coming weeks.

“Since announcing the positive results of the ENDEAR interim analysis in infantile-onset SMA last month, we have heard from many families expressing their excitement about nusinersen. Their stories continue to inspire us and they are in the forefront of our minds as we work to support the FDA’s review of nusinersen,” noted Alfred Sandrock, executive vice president and chief medical officer at Biogen. “We appreciate the FDA’s collaboration with us during the application process, and we look forward to continuing this productive dialogue, with the goal of rapidly bringing the first treatment for SMA to as many patients as possible.”

In addition to the NDA filing with FDA, Biogen plans to submit a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for nusinersen to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the coming weeks. The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recently granted Accelerated Assessment to nusinersen, which can reduce the standard review time. Biogen will initiate regulatory filings in other countries in the coming months.

“Our ability to advance the nusinersen program as quickly as we have is largely due to the tremendous contributions of the entire SMA community, from the patients and families who participated in the clinical trials to the doctors, nurses and advocates who work tirelessly on their behalf,” said B. Lynne Parshall, chief operating officer at Ionis Pharmaceuticals. “We are deeply appreciative of their unwavering commitment to finding a treatment for SMA and today’s milestone is truly a collective achievement.”

The regulatory submissions are comprised of results from the pre-specified interim analysis of ENDEAR, the controlled Phase III study evaluating nusinersen in infantile-onset (most likely to develop Type 1) SMA, as well as all other clinical and preclinical data currently available, which includes open-label data in other patients types. The ENDEAR interim analysis demonstrated that infants receiving nusinersen experienced a statistically significant improvement in the achievement of motor milestones compared to those who did not receive treatment. Biogen anticipates hearing from regulatory authorities regarding the acceptance and validation of these submissions within the next couple of months.